Clinical Pearls, January 2010

Ring, Ring: Your Prescription Calling
Remembering to take oral contraceptives every day—at the same time each day, no less—can be challenging for many women. This is especially true for adolescent girls. Advise them to set the alarm on their cell phone as a reminder. Nowadays, most girls have cell phones—even those in urban, socioeconomically challenged populations.
Michele Telga, WHNP, Rochester, NY

Coordinate Preventive Care
Many obese, diabetic, hypertensive women are managing diet, exercise, glucose self-monitoring, and medication regimens. After teaching/demonstrating the breast self-exam (BSE), provide them with a waterproof BSE “how to” card. With a waterproof pen, write on it a reminder for them to do their BSE and weigh-in on the seventh day after their period starts every month.
Gail Smith, ANP-BC, MSN Ed, Georgetown, SC

Hands-on Pediatric Exam
When you examine pediatric patients, it is very important to talk to them and explain to them what you are doing, even if you think they don’t understand. Allow them to touch any instruments or tools before you use them in the examination. This will reassure them that you will not hurt them. Applying these techniques usually results in a smooth exam process and more cooperation from the patient.
Harrynauth Persaud, MS, CLT, RPA-C, Jamaica, NY

CLASSIC PEARL: Which Is Which?
To help patients remember which one of the two components of cholesterol should be high and which should be low, use this memory tag:
HDL is the happy cholesterol and should be high.
LDL is the lousy cholesterol and should be low.
Angela M. Staab, MN, ANP/GNP-C, Reidsville, NC