Schwierige Diagnosen und schwierige Menschen

We all have patients we find difficult, and let's be honest, some colleagues aren't exactly a joy to work with! Some diagnoses can be difficult to manage, particularly functional disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. Fortunately we have some learning modules which might give you a few pointers in the right direction.A patient has symptoms which just don't make physiological sense. They're real to the patient, but you can't diagnose or treat them physically - how do you recognise these patients and how do you manage them?
Get some guidance: Organically unexplained symptoms, somatoform disorders, and functional somatic syndromesYou see a 45 year old woman with abdominal pain and diarrhoea. She also suffers from anxiety. Could she have irritable bowel syndrome? Do this module to find out. Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management - in association with NICE

Someone on your team drives you nuts. They're not pulling their weight and they're making your life a misery. They're the 'heart-sink' colleague: what do you do? Get some tips and start to turn things around:Dealing with difficult doctors
And finally, if all this seems a bit 'touchy feely' - how about some good old-fashioned practical medicine - a proper emergency topic? Patients with cancer sometimes become acutely ill as a result of complications of treatment or progression of their disease. Can you deal with an oncological emergency? Take half an hour to update yourself:Oncological emergencies

I hope that you have a good week. And here's a question you might like to think about: if BMJ Learning was to produce groups or series of linked modules on single subjects (e.g. Safe Prescribing 1, Safe Prescribing 2...etc), what subject or area should we start with? Let me know your ideas on: pzack@bmjgroup.com. Dr Phil ZackClinical Editor,BMJ Learning