Advanced Decoding Strategies for Clinical Terms

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From the course by University of Pittsburgh

Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students

262 ratings

University of Pittsburgh

Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students

262 ratings

Understanding the clinical terms and abbreviations commonly used during verbal or written communication in U.S. hospitals is challenging. This course is designed for U.S. health care profession students and for international students and practitioners who want to become more familiar with the language of the U.S. clinical setting. Others, such as caregivers and medical interpreters, who wish to develop a better understanding of terms and abbreviations used by health care providers will find this course helpful. The course provides visual and auditory learning experiences to enhance the understanding of terms and abbreviations commonly encountered on a general U.S. hospital unit. All content including quizzes are available at no cost to the learner. If you need a certificate, you can apply for financial aid or pay the fee. To find out more, click Learn more and apply next to the information about Financial Aid. (Use a computer, not a mobile device, for this step.)

From the lesson

Advanced Decoding Strategies for Clinical Terms

This week, Dr. Swigart shares more strategies toward discovering the meaning of complex medical/scientific words. It focuses on three essential clinical topics: abbreviations used in emergency situations, the timing and route of medications, and the administration of intravenous infusions. Learning about abbreviations related to medication and intravenous fluid administration requires that you pay close attention.

Advanced Decoding Strategies for Clinical Terms3:38

Meet the Instructors

Valerie Swigart, Ph.D. R.N.
Professor of Nursing
School of Nursing
Michael Gold, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Emeritus
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

We hope that you enjoyed your tour of

the clinical humid, and learning about the terms and

abbreviations used to identify the environment supplies equipment, methods

of recording, and the people you usually find there.

You are now ready to learn about

abbreviations and terms used in emergency situations.

And those commonly used when administering medications or intravenous solutions.

Before we begin Module three, we will work on refining your puzzle solving skills for

discovering the meaning of medical words commonly used on the U.S. clinical unit.

Let's examine two important terms that you saw in Module one.

Dyspnea,

defined as difficult breathing, and apnea, the absence of breathing.

By examining these words, dyspnea, and apnea, we see that

P N E A, or -pnea, is used in both words.

Pnea forms the central aspect, or the root, of the word.

Using the prs list, we find that pnea

means breath or breathing. Then we use the

prs list again, and see the dys refers to difficult

Putting together the puzzle we attach the dys to the pnea,

and we have the word dyspnea meaning difficultly breathing.

Using the PRS list again we find that A.

Often means without. And combined with pnea, it

becomes without breathing, or apnea. Notice

the dys is used as a prefix in many common English words.

For example, the word dysfunction, means difficult or impaired function.

Recognizing the meaning of spoken and

written medical terms becomes quicker and easier, as you use the PRS list.

Memorize the prefixes, roots and suffixes and then use

them to discover the meaning of a medical word.

When you can, try to accompany this, with a visual representation.

Picture a person having a difficulty breathing.

Or a sleeping person having long

pauses in breathing. Take special note of roots.

Be clear that the term tension was the root of hypertension.

And that the pnea was the root for dyspnea.

Roots are central in the word, and central to its meaning.

The prefixes and suffixes then describe the root.

Okay, let's go on.

Module three is full of excitement. I would like to ask you

to mentally place yourself on a U.S. clinical unit.

It's three o'clock in the afternoon, and you've learned a

lot as you've cared for a surgical patient on unit 4C.

As you leave your patient's room, you

hear an announcement on the public address system.

Code blue, unit four 4C. All designated personnel report to 4C.

A nurse in the hallway appears intent just

walking right past you toward the nursing station.

You're really not sure what's happening. You ask yourself, what's going on here?

What should I do?

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