Mnemonics for NZREX

MNEMONICS are learning techniques that aid information retention. Not only can it boost your confidence but can also give the examiner a feeling that you are approaching your task in a sequenced manner! (that can help you score some points for Communication Skills)

SOCRATES for pain

• Site: where exactly is the pain – is it all over, one side or both sides, front or back, over the eyes? Is there pain anywhere else in the body?
• Onset: when and how does it start? Did it start suddenly or after some incident?( trauma, spontaneous or he had the feeling that the headache is going to come in as in migraine)  Since how long does he/she have this pain. Is this the first episode or have you had earlier recurrent attacks.
• Character: how does the pain feel like (is it dull, sharp, does it come and go/ thunderclap/ worst headache in life)
• Radiation: do you feel it elsewhere?
• Alleviating factors: what makes the pain better?
• Timing: do you still have the pain? At what time of the day is it worse? AM/PM? Does it wake you up at night?
• Exacerbating factors: what makes it worse?(bending, coughing, sneezing, caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, stress, eye strain, hunger, certain foods: wine, cheese, chocolates. In females- premenstrual period)
• Severity: how bad is it (scale of 0 to 10)? Does it limit your activities? Progression – if it is the same, increased, decreased or initial increase followed by gradual decrease.

ODIPARA

• Onset
• Duration
• Intensity
• Progression
• Aggreviating factors
• Releiving factors
• Associated symptoms

LIQORAAA

• Location
• Intensity
• Quality
• Onset
• Radiation
• Associated symptoms
• Alleviating factors
• Aggravating factors

PAMHUGSFOSS for History Taking

• Past history (similar illnesses)
• Allergies
• Medications
• Hospitalizations
• Urinary symptoms (frequency, urgency, burning, etc)
• GI symproms (diarrhoea, constipation, etc)
• Social history (work, home, drugs, alcohol, smoking, addictions, etc)
• Family history (anyone with similar or related complaints)
• Ob/gyn
• Sexual history
• Sleep

BINDER for children

• Birth history
• Immunizations
• Nutrition
• Development (milestones)
• Eating
• Rash?

SIG E CAPS for Depression

• Sleep 
• Interest 
• Guilt 
• Energy 
• Concentration 
• Appetite 
• Psychomotor agitation/retardation
• Suicidal thoughts

Some other commonly used ones are:

MUDPILES: Causes of anion gap metabolic acidosis.

OPQRST: Assessing pain - Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, Time.

I GET PP SMASHED: Causes of acute pancreatitis.

SIG E CAPS: Screening for depression - Sleep disturbances, Interest decreased, Guilt, Energy decreased, Concentration problems, Appetite/weight changes, Psychomotor agitation or retardation, Suicidal ideation.

ABCDE: Characteristics of melanoma - Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter, Evolving.

SOAP: Structure for presenting a patient - Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.

FAST: Stroke symptoms - Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, Time to call emergency services.

RICE: Treatment for sprains and bruises - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

VEAL CHOP: Causes of fetal heart rate abnormalities - Variable decelerations, Early decelerations, Accelerations, Late decelerations, Cord compression, Head compression, Other.

ABCDE X RAY: Characteristics of aortic dissection - Asymmetry, Blood pressure difference, Chest pain, Diastolic murmur, Extremity ischemia