Medical terms Flashcards
Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately
Prefix:
denotes size, shape, colour, direction or amount
Suffix:
Size/shape/colour, or disease/disorder/procedure
sarco- :
muscle
contra- :
against
(12) Healthcare settings you might read, write or hear medical terms in:
Routine reports; Referrals; Pre- and Post-op care instructions; Drug orders; Diary entries; Client notes; WHS signs/instructions; Verbal instructions; Test results; Notices/memos; Phone calls; Theatre lists
Time used in medical communication:
24hr clock (2330 = 11:30pm) 7/7 Seven days (i.e. one week) 3/7 In three days 1/7 In one day 1/52 In one week 6/52 In six weeks (e.g. Mrs Smith requires an outpatient appointment in six weeks’ time.) 1/12 One month 12/12 12 months
ICU: HDU: CCU: OT: ENT: O and G: OPD: ED: CSSD: PCC:
Intensive Care Unit High Dependency Unit (very sick patients) Coronary Care Unit (high risk cardiac patients) Operating Theatres Ear, Nose, Throat Obstetrics and Gynaecology Outpatients Department Emergency Department Central Sterile Supply Department Person Centred Care
Orthopaedic:
Paediatrics:
Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI):
Specialises in conditions of the bones
Children
The ACFI is a funding tool used to appraise a resident’s need for care. The tool are activities of daily living (ADL), behaviour (BEH) and complex health care (CHC)
s/b: c/o: Dx: Hx: Rx:
seen by complained of diagnosis history treatment
Inj: IV: IM: SC: IVT:
injection intravenous intramuscular subcutaneous (often refers to injection type) intravenous therapy (usually refers to an intravenous infusion)
PHx:
HPC:
O/E:
PRN (or p.r.n):
past history
history of presenting condition
on examination
pro re nata (Latin) (often refers to taking/giving medication as needed, e.g. for pain)
Why do we need to consider context?
There are numerous medical terms and abbreviations. They can have more than one meaning, depending on the body system or the procedure being referred to.
E.g:
PO can mean ‘Pulmonary Oedema’ if it refers to the respiratory system.
or
‘Per oral’ if it refers to medicine administration
Where can you find definitions for new terminology?
Apps: Medical Dictionary Offline (Android)
Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary(Apple)
MedicineList+ (Android/Apple)
Internet: medilexicon.com
medword.com
medlineplus.gov
australia.gov.au/information-and-services/health/medicine-and-health-products
Head and neck bones:
skull: cranium
mandible (jaw bone)
cervical vertebrae
Thoracic cavity bones:
clavicle (collar bone)
manubrium (joins 2 clavicles, just above sternum)
sternum (joins ribs at anterior side)
ribs
thoracic vertebrae (segment of spine through ribs)
Abdominopelvic cavity bones:
lumbar vertebrae (segment of spine inferior to ribs)
sacrum (where spine joins hips/pelvis)
coccyx (tailbone)
pelvic girdle
Arm bones:
scapula (shoulder blade) humerus (proximal arm bone) radius (upper [thumb side] distal arm bone) ulna (lower distal arm bone) carpals (wrist bones) metacarpals (bones through palm) phalanges (finger/toe bones)
Leg bones:
femur (proximal leg bone) patella (knee) tibia (inside distal leg bone) fibula (outside distal leg bone) tarsals (ankle bones) metatarsals (bones through body of foot) phalanges (toe/finger bones)
Terms relating to skeletal system: arthr(o): articular: osteo-: -arthr: -itis: -por-(o): -osis: peri-
. joints, limbs, bones joint relating to bone relating to joints inflammation porous condition of around
Terms relating to skeletal system: OA: AKA: TKR: ROM: #:
. osteoarthritis above knee amputation total knee replacement range of movement fracture
Terms relating to skeletal system: BKA: Fx: Ortho: PHx: HPC: O/E:
. below knee amputation fracture orthopaedics past history history of presenting condition on examination
Paget disease:
people with Paget disease of bone have unusually thick bones, but they are soft and prone to break because of their abnormal structure
Osteomalacia:
Also known as rickets.
A condition in which Vitamin D deficiency disrupts normal bone formation
Infectious diseases that affect the skeletal system:
Osteomyelitis describes a bone infection, usually caused by bacteria.
Septic arthritis is a joint infection, which is also typically caused by bacteria but is sometimes due to a virus or fungus.
Certain bacterial infections of the intestine or reproductive system can also affect the joints, a condition known as reactive arthritis.
Joint inflammation and arthritic pain are also common with infectious illnesses like Lyme disease, chronic hepatitis C and infectious mononucleosis.