A Young Immigrant Woman with Pelvic Pain

Gathering an accurate and complete patient history in a timely manner can be paramount in guiding a plan of care for newly established patients. Nurse practitioners must use their clinical judgment and intuition to identify the nuances of the information being relayed and to compose a complete picture of the patient. Using motivational interviewing and open-ended questions will enable the clinician to engage the patient to make potentially life-saving behavior changes. Obtaining an essential history is not only important for the patient, but also has a legal and ethical effect on the nurse practitioner.