Searching for evidence scenarios

Searching for evidence scenarios

Semester 2, 2017

Scenario 1: Fish Oil

Fish oil is consumed by millions of Australians as a remedy for arthritis. Peggy is a 65 year old lady who has degenerative osteoarthritis in her knees. Her friend Edith from the bowls club says that she has started taking fish oil and has noticed that her arthritis has really improved. Peggy is keen to try anything that would help to relieve her arthritis but would like to know if there is any real evidence to support her taking fish oil. Peggy doesn’t have a lot of extra money to spend buying expensive fish oil capsules.

Clinical Question:

In older women with osteoarthritis is fish oil an effective treatment option?

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Scenario 2: Green Tea

Green Tea has been used for medicinal purposes in Asia for thousands of years. Current claims of the benefits of green tea include improving mental alertness, relieving digestive symptoms and headaches, promoting weight loss and as a preventative measure for heart disease and cancer. Krishna is a 25 year old whose family has a history of cancer. She has previously consumed normal (black) tea and wants to know if there is any evidence about the preventative value in drinking green tea to prevent cancer.[unique_solution]

Clinical Question: In young women will drinking green tea prevent cancer compared to drinking black tea?

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Adapted from Richardson-Tench et al. (2016, p. 47)

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Scenario 3: Silver Dressings

You are required to make a house call (as a student paramedic or student community nurse) to a young 21 year old male, Billy who has a history of motor vehicle accident (MVA). He has a number of significant wounds following the MVA. He has called because his temperature is above normal, he has signs of fever and one of his wounds is red and is malodourous. Whilst undertaking a physical assessment Billy asks you about a news article he read discussing the effects of Manuka honey and silver dressings. You are uncertain how to answer Billy at this time so you decide when you get home to undertake a structured search for evidence.

Clinical Question: What is the effectiveness of silver dressings compared to Manuka honey in young men following traumatic injury?

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