UNIT 7 --- English for Nurses and Medical Professionals

English for Nurses and Medical Professionals

               Patients come in all different shapes and sizes. They also speak many different languages. Whether you are working abroad or at home, there will come a time when you will need to rely on English to communicate. These pages can help nurses, doctors, pharmacists, paramedics, receptionists, specialists or even those who volunteer. They will help you learn some basic English expressions and vocabulary related to the medical field. By studying and practising Medical English, you will be able to make your patients feel more comfortable, and have a better understanding of their needs. You will also learn how to talk to their loved ones and communicate with other medical staff who speak English. Do the exercises and take the quizzes to test your knowledge and understanding.

Human Body

             One of the first things you need to know when working in English is the parts of the body. You will need to learn the names of the internal (inside the skin) and external body parts. You will also need

 to learn the words for the functions of each of these body parts. Here are the basics to get you started.

Head

              Inside the head is the brain, which is responsible for thinking. The top of a person's scalp is covered with hair. Beneath the hairline at the front of the face is the forehead. Underneath the forehead are the eyes for seeing, the nose for smelling, and the mouth for eating. On the outside of the mouth are the lips, and on the inside of the mouth are the teeth for biting and the tongue for tasting. Food is swallowed down the throat. At the sides of the face are the cheeks and at the sides of the head are the ears for hearing. At the bottom of a person's face is the chin. The jaw is located on the inside of the cheeks and chin. The neck is what attaches the head to the upper body.

Upper Body

              At the top and front of the upper body, just below the neck is the collar bone. On the front side of the upper body is the chest, which in women include

s the breasts. Babies suck on the nipples of their mother's breasts. Beneath the ribcage are the stomach and the waist. The navel, more commonly referred to as the belly button, is located here as well. On the inside of the upper body are the heart for pumping blood and the lungs for breathing. The rear side of the upper body is called the back, inside which the spine connects the upper body to the lower body.

Upper Limbs (arms)

             The arms are attached to the shoulders. Beneath this area is called the armpit or underarm. The upper arms have the muscles known as triceps and biceps. The joint halfway down the arm is called the elbow. Between the elbow and the next joint, the wrist, is the forearm. Below the wrist is the hand with four fingers and one thumb. Beside the thumb is the index finger. Beside the index finger is the middle finger, followed by the ring finger and the little finger. At the ends of the fingers are fingernails.

Lower Body

             Below the waist, on left and right, are the hips. Between the hips are the reproductive organs, the penis (male) or the vagina (female). At the back of the lower body are the buttocks for sitting on. They are also commonly referred to as the rear end or the bum (especially with children). The internal organs in the lower body include the intestines for digesting food, the bladder for holding liquid waste, as well as the liver and the kidneys. This area also contains the woman's uterus, which holds a baby when a woman is pregnant.

 Lower Limbs (legs)
                     The top of the leg is called the thigh, and the joint in the middle of the leg is the knee. The front of the lower leg is the shin and the back of the lower leg is the calf. The ankle connects the foot to the leg. Each foot has five toes. The smallest toe is often called the little toe while the large one is called the big toe. At the ends of the toes are toenails.

   Speaking  Doctor's Diagnosis

      Physician
• Your test results have come in.
• I'm afraid the prognosis isn't good.

• You have a long road to recovery.

• We have several options to discuss.

• The blood test came back negative.

• The transfusion was a success.

• It looks like you're ready to go home.

• I'd like to keep you here over night.

• We'll know more in a few days.

• You're not in the clear yet.

• We've ruled out diabetes.

• I'm hoping to get to the bottom of this soon.

            Patient

• I don't understand what this means.

• Am I going to need surgery?

• Is it good news or bad?

• When will the tests results come in?

• How long do I have to stay in the hospital?

• What is the success rate?

• Are they going to run more tests?

• Is this a common problem for people my age?

• I'd like to discuss other options.

• I'm going to get a second opinion.

Sample Conversation

Doctor : Hi Jessica. How are you feeling today?

Patient : A bit better.

Doctor : That's good to hear. Are you still feeling nauseous?

Patient : No, I haven't felt sick to my stomach since you switched my medication.

Doctor : Great. Say, your test results came in this morning.

Patient : It's about time. Is it good news or bad?

Doctor : I guess it's a bit of both. Which do you want first?

Patient : Let's get the bad news over with.

Doctor : Okay. It looks like you're going to need surgery to remove the tumour from your leg. After the operation you're going to have to stay off your feet for at least three weeks. That means no soccer.

Patient : I was afraid you were going to say that.

Doctor : Now for the good news. The biopsy shows that the tumour is benign, which means it's not cancerous. We're going to take it out anyway just to be on the safe side.

Patient : Wow, that's a load off my mind. Thanks Doctor.

Doctor : Don't get too excited. We still need to get to the bottom of all of this weight loss.

Patient : I've probably just been so worried about this stupid lump.

Doctor : These things often are stress related, but we're still going to do a few blood tests just to rule a few things out.

Patient : Things like what? Cancer?

Doctor : Actually, I'm thinking more along the lines of a food allergy.