You are in the home of a 17-year-old teenager complaining of abdominal pain. Her mother and father are hovering near her and answering most of the questions you ask her. You sense that the patient is uncomfortable answering questions in front of her parents. Which of the following is the BEST way to handle this situation?

A) Defer the history to the triage nurse at the emergency department so as not to cause undue discomfort to the patient.
B) Tell the parents that their daughter is a big girl and probably doesn't want to talk about her problems in front of them.
C) Tell the patient you know she might be embarrassed but that it is imperative that she give you the whole story so you know what to do for her.
D) Ask the parents to go to the kitchen with your partner so he can get some information for your paperwork.

D