25   I can describe hospital procedures

GOING INTO HOSPITAL

You doctor is concerned about you.

He sends you to see a specialist.

You may have tests, X-rays, or scans.

The specialist decides how to treat you.

You may have an operation immediately if it is urgent.

The surgeon explains the benefits and risks to you, the patient.

After the operation you return to the ward, where the nurse care for you.

The operation is successful. When you are well enough, you can go home to recover.

 

go into hospital  go for treatment and stay there for a night or more.

go to hospital  go there for treatment, but not stay in.

concerned about sb  worried about sb.

specialist  a person who knows a lot about a particular subject, e.g. a heart specialist. In a hospital, this person is often called a consultant.

test  a medical examination of part of our body, e.g. an eye test, a blood test.

treat sb  give medical help to sb to make them better. treatment N.

operation  In an operation, the doctor cuts open the body (operates) to treat the person.

immediately  with no delay. SYN straightaway.

urgent  needing to be done quickly.

benefit  a thing that has a good or helpful result.

risk  a danger that sth bad may happen.

patient  a person who is having treatment.

care for sb  look after sb. SYN take care of sb.

ward  a separate room or area in a hospital for people with the same type of medical condition.

successful  If sth is successful, it has gone well.

recover (from sth) become well after you have been ill. SYN get over sth.

spotlight  enough

You can use enough after adjectives and adverbs. It means ‘as good, well, old, long, etc. as is necessary’.

She’s not well enough to go out. (She needs to feel better before she can go out.)

He’s strong enough to get up. (He has the strength he needs to get up.)

You can also use enough before plural and uncountable nouns.

There aren’t enough doctors. (We need more doctors.)

I haven’t got enough money. (I need more money.) 

4     ABOUT YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY Write your answers, or ask another student.

1     Have you ever been into hospital for a few days or longer? When? ________

2     Have you ever visited a patient in hospital? If so, when, and who was it? ________

3     When patients are on a ward, do the nurses take care of them, or does the family look after them too? ________

4     Can you see a specialist straightaway in your country, or do you have to wait? If so, how long? ________

5     Do you have to see your doctor first before you go and see a specialist? ________

6     Where do patients usually go to recover after an operation? ________

Answers from a German person

1     Yes, I had my tonsils removed in 1997.

2     Yes, I visited my mum in hospital when she had an operation on her ankle a few years ago.

3     Nurses are there to take care of you and families are there to support you.

4     Yes, you can see a specialist straightaway in Germany if you want to. Waiting times are minimal.

5     No, you can go directly to a specialist.

6     It depends on the operation. If it’s a minor operation, people go home. 

5     Test yourself. Cover the meanings in the table and look at the procedures. Can you remember the meanings of the new words?