Welcome to The Pearl Log — where post-shift wisdom surfaces, one shiny clinical take at a time. Some pearls are fresh, some are rough, all are found under pressure.
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Rectal Exam in the Neutropenic Patient
A fair question for a risky host: should you really be doing a rectal exam in someone whose ANC is circling the drain?
The logic against it is sound—fragile mucosa, easy bacterial entry, high stakes. Yet the evidence behind the “never” is mostly tradition, not data. However, if another test can get you the answer, let it. Some doors just aren’t worth opening.