Intervention, Treatment and Management
What this domain tests
Whether the plan you choose is indicated, safe, dosed correctly, monitored and evaluated, and whether the patient understands it well enough to continue at home.
Core rules
- Check indication, contraindication and precautions before starting any intervention, including relative ones.
- Prescribe dose deliberately: frequency, intensity, duration and progression for exercise; concentration, volume and rate for fluids or feeds.
- Monitor response with objective markers and stop or modify when the safety threshold is crossed.
- Combine intervention with education, self-management and a realistic discharge plan.
- Re-evaluate against a baseline measure, not against impression alone.
Worked example
Day one after total knee replacement, the physiotherapist wants to mobilise. Before standing: confirm surgical and anaesthetic orders, check haemoglobin and blood pressure, review analgesia timing and anticoagulant status, inspect the wound and check distal circulation. Only then assist standing with a walker and monitor for dizziness. If the patient is hypotensive or the dressing is soaking, defer and escalate. The intervention is correct; the timing and preparation decide safety.
Traps that cost marks
- Applying a protocol without checking patient-specific contraindications.
- Progressing exercise load without monitoring response.
- Teaching a home programme without checking technique or comprehension.
- Planning discharge without confirming who will supervise the plan.