Decision Making Processes for a Pregnant Woman Admitted to the Accident and Emergency Department Requiring Emergency Diagnostic X-ray – A Case Study

Abstract

ASEAN J. Sci. Technol. Dev., 32(2): 121 -132 This case study applies the decision-making processes for a pregnant woman who experienced a motor vehicle accident and admitted to a private middle-class hospital in the capital of Indonesia requiring radiologic X-ray examination. It also aims to examine and evaluate the pregnant admitted patient in her 20th weeks of gestation in order to provide her with the best emergency care, diagnostic investigations and treatments.The descriptive, normative and prescriptive models of decision-making was demonstrated and therefore conclude with a sound decision (Shaban 2012).Ethics of justice were considered and this case study maintained anonymity of patient's, healthcare professionals' and hospital's name. The purpose is to make a world view on how a sound decision-making is demonstrated in a fast-paced environment. BAckgrouND X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with very high frequency and energy (Eskandar et al. 2010), with a wavelength shorter so as to have a fairly high permeability of the material. Therefore, X-rays can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic management in medical radiology. Decision Making Processes for a Pregnant Woman Admitted to the Accident and EmergencyDepartment Requiring Emergency Diagnostic X-ray -A Case Study S. ISmANToThe objective of this study is to apply the decision-making processes for a pregnant woman who was involved in a motor vehicle accident and admitted to a private middle-class hospital in the capital of Indonesia requiring radiologic X-ray examination. It also aims to examine and evaluate the patient who was in her 20th week of gestation in order to provide her with the best emergency care, diagnostic investigations and treatments. The descriptive, normative and prescriptive models of decision-making are demonstrated. The descriptive model used intuition, while the normative model used decision trees as decision options and lastly the prescriptive decision used the information processing theory (IPT) to decide on the best emergency care, diagnostic investigations and treatments for the patient.The IPT dominated the decision-making process; hence an X-ray examination was done that was safe for the fetus and the childbearing mother. Decision option was not used since the patient was in pain and could not understand much of the procedure that was explained. Intuition helped in the decision-making in order to ensure safe and effective practice.