The developed screening tool is a ten-question assessment that uses a question-answer method to screen Caucasian patients for melanoma risk factors. The questionnaire is designed to retrieve pertinent information without being time consuming. The goal is for the patient to be willing to complete the questionnaire during a routine physical exam visit. Most clinics use some form of a paper-based history questionnaire to screen patients for past and present health information. The developed screening tool is meant to be included with this paperwork. The questions address specific risk factors related to the development of melanoma and give the patient the option to answer “yes,” “no,” or “not sure.” The ten questions carefully screen the patient
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Many patients encountering the melanoma-screening tool will most likely be unfamiliar with risk factors for the disease. This lack of awareness and understanding serves as a starting point for the provider to educate the patient. During the patient encounter, the NP or other primary care provider must discuss all history given by the patient, including the results from the screening form. This allows the provider to briefly discuss melanoma and the risk factors for the disease. Education should be directed towards changing risky behaviors and checking the skin every month for any abnormalities. In order to assist the provider in educating on all the relevant information, the author suggests the use of three fact sheets developed by the Melanoma Research Foundation (see Appendix D, E, F). The first fact sheet titled Melanoma Fact Sheet provides information on risk factors for melanoma and the interventions that can be used to reduce the risk of developing the disease (see Appendix D). The second fact sheet titled ABCDEs of Melanoma provides information on how to identify suspicious moles (see Appendix E). The third fact sheet titled Guide to Self Screening provides information on the correct way to perform a SSE (see Appendix F). After the provider discusses the three facts sheets, the patient can take the resources home. The provider should make documentation that the screening and education was done so that at subsequent health care visits, brief reinforcement can be
Many patients encountering the melanoma-screening tool will most likely be unfamiliar with risk factors for the disease. This lack of awareness and understanding serves as a starting point for the provider to educate the patient. During the patient encounter, the NP or other primary care provider must discuss all history given by the patient, including the results from the screening form. This allows the provider to briefly discuss melanoma and the risk factors for the disease. Education should be directed towards changing risky behaviors and checking the skin every month for any abnormalities. In order to assist the provider in educating on all the relevant information, the author suggests the use of three fact sheets developed by the Melanoma Research Foundation (see Appendix D, E, F). The first fact sheet titled Melanoma Fact Sheet provides information on risk factors for melanoma and the interventions that can be used to reduce the risk of developing the disease (see Appendix D). The second fact sheet titled ABCDEs of Melanoma provides information on how to identify suspicious moles (see Appendix E). The third fact sheet titled Guide to Self Screening provides information on the correct way to perform a SSE (see Appendix F). After the provider discusses the three facts sheets, the patient can take the resources home. The provider should make documentation that the screening and education was done so that at subsequent health care visits, brief reinforcement can be