Practice dilemma - Patient refuses a chaperone

By Dr Barney Tinsley, Dr Sonya McCullough and Antony Chuter, 09 September 2010

The Dilemma Miss Thompson is a 21-year-old student who has come to your practice rather than her university doctor as it is the holidays.[QQ]You have never met her before and have no medical history records. She states she is normally well except for a breast lump she has had for two months. She does not take any regular medicines and is normally fit and well. She attends your clinic for a cough, which she has had for two days. Once the cough has been dealt with, she mentions she would like the breast lump examined. A previous doctor checked it out and said there was nothing to worry about but she was still concerned. You offer a nurse chaperone, which she declines stating that you are a doctor and she is not worried about that, she just wants her lump checked out. What should you do?