Customer scenario
CUSTOMER SCENARIO
Ruby is in her 20s and asks if you can recommend a product for a sore throat. Her symptoms started a couple of days ago; she has been trying to get an appointment with her GP as she thinks she might need antibiotics, but can’t get an appointment for a few days.
Which of the following would you do at this stage?
Click on one of the answer options below.
You ask Ruby if she has any other symptoms in addition to a sore throat. Ruby says that she also has a cough, has been sneezing, has a runny nose but does not have a temperature. Ruby does not have any medical conditions and she is not taking any other medicines.
You ask Ruby if you can have a look at her throat; her tonsils do not appear to be inflamed, there is no evidence of any pus or discharge from her throat and the glands in her neck do not appear to be swollen or tender.
The FeverPAIN or Centor criteria can be used to determine the likelihood of streptococcal infection, and therefore the need for antibiotic treatment.1
Click on each of the headings below to see how you can determine if Ruby’s sore throat may be caused by a bacterial streptococcal infection or a viral infection.
Score 1 point for each of the following symptoms (maximum score of 5).
- Fever during the previous 24 hours
- Purulence (pus or discharge from the throat or tonsils)
- Attend rapidly, within three days after the onset of symptoms
- Severely inflamed tonsils
- No cough or coryza (inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose resulting in a stuffy, runny nose and sneezing)
SCORING:
0 or 1 associated with a 13-18% likelihood of streptococcal infection
2 or 3 associated with a 34-40% likelihood of streptococcal infection
4 or 5 associated with a 62-65% likelihood of streptococcal infection
Score 1 point for each of the following symptoms (maximum score of 4).
- Tonsillar exudate (pus or discharge)
- Swollen glands in the neck (tender anterior cervical lymph nodes or lymphadentis)
- History of fever (over 38°C)
- Absence of cough
SCORING:
0, 1 or 2 associated with a 3-17% likelihood of streptococcal infection
3 or 4 associated with a 32-56% likelihood of streptococcal infection
Based on Ruby’s symptoms, what is the likely cause of her sore throat?
Click on one of the answer options below.
What action would you now take?
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SELF CARE ADVICE3
To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can advise customers to:
- Gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat cool or soft foods
- Avoid smoking or smoky places
- Suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets; young children should not be given anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
- Rest
If customers have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do their normal activities, they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel better.