Nausea and Vomiting

The Department will periodically contact patients waiting for an outpatient clinic appointment via SMS, with a link to an electronic form.  This is part of routine waitlist auditing to ensure patient details are up to date.  If you receive this SMS, please update your details.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Pre-referral work-up

History

All referrals should comply to referral standards and include in particular:

  • Duration of symptoms
  • Pattern and severity of symptoms especially if nocturnal vomiting
  • Weight loss and appetite
  • Current and recently ceased medications especially failed treatments
  • Previous gastric surgery including laparoscopic banding
  • Past history especially previous chemo or radiotherapy

    • Tests

    Initial work up:

    • FBE
    • ESR and CRP
    • Creatinine
    • Electrolytes
    • Calcium
    • LFTs
    • TFT
    • Fasting glucose
    • Urinalysis
    • Pregnancy test
    • Plain x-ray

    Consider:

    • Neurological assessment (raised intracranial pressure)
    • Faeces MC&S

    Interim/GP management

    To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Gastroenterology clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

    Prevention of dehydration.

    For more information please see the Tasmanian Health Pathways website.

    Emergency

    Suspicion of bowel obstruction

    Dehydration

    Acutely unwell

    Please contact Emergency Department Medical Officer in Charge via RHH Switchboard (03) 6166 8308

    Urgent / category 1

    Presence of alarm symptoms:

    Significant weight loss

    Fever

    Otherwise referral is treated as semi urgent

    Semi-urgent / category 2

    Other patients with ongoing nausea and vomiting

    Red flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

    Emergency:

    Proceed to Emergency Department (ED).
    LGH ED Reception  – Phone: (03) 6777 6405  Fax: (03) 6777 5201
    MCH ED* – Phone: (03) 6478 5120  Fax: (03) 6441 5923
    NWRH ED* – Phone: (03) 6493 6351 Fax: (03) 6464 1926
    RHH ED Reception – Phone: (03) 6166 6100  Fax: (03) 6173 0489

    Advice for medical practitioners can be given by the Medical Officer In Charge (MOIC) - see HealthPathways Tasmania for contact information.
    *MCH and NWRH MOICs request GPs call them prior to referring a patient to ensure the patient is being sent appropriately to a safe destination.

    Urgent:

    We will endeavour to see these patients within four weeks

    Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the clinic and the relevant doctor for urgent assessment, or patient should be directed immediately to the Emergency Department.

    Semi-urgent:

    We will endeavour to see these patients within 12 weeks

    Routine:

    Next available appointment