Handout

ENGLISH FOR NURSING 1

A content-based approach

Show you care

By
Wahyudi
 CONTENTS

Handout 1 Nurses’ Colleagues

Handout 2 Hospital Department
Handout 3 Emergency
Handout 4 On Admission
Handout 5 Signs & Symptoms
Handout 6 A Diabetic Patient
Handout 7 Pain
Handout 8 Observing Patients
Handout 9 Medication
Handout 10 Alternative Treatments
Handout 1 – Meeting 1

Nurse’s Colleagues
1. General Check-up Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
• can name and describe
Look at the picture.
hospital jobs
What does she do?
• can talk about duties and
Where is she? regular activities
What is she? • can describe what is
happening at the moment
• can understand an article
about nursing profession.

2. Vocabulary, Hospital Jobs

Work with a partner to match each job with a person in the picture by writing a – f in the blank.

1. ____ pharmacist a b c
2. ____ pediatrician
3. ____ obstetrician
4. ____ radiologist
5. ____ receptionist
6. ____ surgeon d e f

3. Language Focus, Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses

Present Simple to talk about: Present Continuous to talk about:

 routines  things we are doing at the moment
 duties  things that are happening now
 things that happen all time
Examples: Examples:
I prepare the instrument for surgery and help At the moment she is doing a part-time job.
with the operations.
The doctor is examining his patients.
An obstetrician delivers babies.
In a piece of paper, please write your daily routines (5 Sentences). Then write 2 sentences about what two of
your friends are doing at the moment.
Handout 1 – Meeting 1

4. Listening, What is he/she?

Listen to your lecturer describing 6 job descriptions in a hospital. Decide the jobs and write
them in the blank spaces.
1. _______________________________ 4. _______________________________
2. _______________________________ 5. _______________________________
3. _______________________________ 6. _______________________________

5. Speaking, Who am I?
Guess, who am I?
Work in pair. Student A thinks a profession in a hospital. Then, he/she explains its job description.
Student B will guess what the profession is. Then, students A and B change their role.

Examples: Verbs for describing jobs:

A: She is very helpful. She helps a surgeon.
She works in an operation theatre. take – perform – move – specialize – prepare
Can you guess, who is she?
treat – deliver – support – give
B: I think she is a scrub nurse.
6. Writing, Job Description
Please rearrange the following words to be a complete sentence based on the picture on your
right.
1. pediatrician – children – A – treats. 1. ______________________.
2. loves – He – very – children – much. 2. ______________________.
3. they – Even though – him – disturb, calm 3. ______________________
– he – stays, smiling – keeps, and – be – ______________________
always – the children – friendly – to. ______________________.

7. Reading, The Nursing Profession

Read the article. Find the meaning of underlined words. Discuss the idea of the article in your group and tell the
class in Bahasa Indonesia.

The Nursing Profession

One hundred and fifty years ago, nurses were unpaid, untrained, and unpopular, but then Florence Nightingle
made nursing into a profession. The methods she introduces in the 1850s were copied all over the world, and now
nursing is a career with a three- or four-year training, qualifications, grades, unions, and pensions.
Many nurses choose to do further study and become specialist. Nurses can specialize in many different fields –
there are triage nurses working in casualty, and psychiatric nurses who treat the mentally ill.
Many of them say they do not get enough pay and respect for the work they do. They say that the work is
physically and mentally hard, that they work long hours and get very tired. However, they also say that there are
many great rewards which have nothing to do with money.
Handout 2 – Meeting 2

Hospital Department
1. General Check-up Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
Look at the picture. • can name departments in a
Where do you see the hospital
• can describe what each
boards?
department does
What are they for? • can understand and give
direction in a hospital
Do you have experience of • can understand and use the
visiting one of the preposition of place and the
departments? verbs of movement

2. Vocabulary, Hospital Departments

Complete the following table with the departments on the left.

Departments Activities
1. Obstetrics
Surgery performs operations on patients
2. Physiotherapy
………………… specializes in the heart
3. Pharmacy
………………… treats diseases of the skin
4. Cardiology
………………… designs special exercises for patients
5. Dermatology
………………… specializes in pregnancy and birth
6. Surgery
………………… dispenses medicines

Discuss with your partner to find more departments and their activities.

3. Language Focus, Prepositions & Verbs

Prepositions of place Verbs of movement

 To describe the place where something is.  prepositions are also used with verbs of
in, on, on top of, at the top/bottom of, movement such as:
inside/outside, near, next to, by, Go, come, push, carry, bring, run, walk,
(please find some more prepositions) take, get
The toilets are at the bottom of the stairs, on
the left. Examples:
 To talk about movement. You walk through Orthopedics to get to the
up, down, into, out, away, from, exit.
through, across, along, (please find
some more prepositions) The porter brought the wheelchair up to the
Go through the white door, turn left along the ward.
corridor, and the pharmacy is in front of you.
Handout 2 – Meeting 2

4. Listening , Giving Directions

Listen to these people giving directions. Match each

dialogue with a picture. Try to find the meaning of
difficult words from your dictionary.
1. _____
2. _____
3. _____

5. Writing, Giving direction via e-mail

A Complete the following sentences with the missing words that you hear from the listening
section. Listen again to check your answer.
1. _________ out of here and the door you 4. …………….. the first right, and it’s the
want is just opposite. second door ……………………….
2. So it’s __________ outside ___________? 5. …take the second left and go __________
3. Go ___________ the hospital __________ along that corridor.
these swing door.
B Giving directions via email
Work with your partner. Send an email to your partner asking for direction of a hospital from
your campus. Your partner will give the direction by replying your email. Take turn.

6. Speaking, Describing two different wards/department

Describing Pictures (students A and B will have a different picture which looks similar)
Describe your picture, and listen to student B describes his picture. Without looking at each
other’s picture, find at least five differences between them.
A B
Handout 2 – Meeting 2

7. Reading, William O’Neill : A porter

A Before you read, make a list with a partner of the things you think a hospital porter does. Read
the following article about William O’Neill. Does he mention any of the same things as you do?.

William O’Neill
I’m the Head Porter in this hospital. What do I do? Well, I run the place.
Porters do more than just push food trolleys around the hospital. We transport patients by wheelchair or stretcher
from the wards to Radiology or Physiotherapy and back again. We remove dead bodies to the mortuary, we lift
and carry heavy equipment and furniture and we dispose of all the waste. Each hospital bed produces 4.5 kilos of
waste everyday. We collect it each day and take it away for recycling.
We deliver the post all over the hospital and bring letters for patients – that’s a very important thing. As we move
around the place, we take files, samples, and specimens from here to there and back again. Last year I walked
1,800 kilometers!
To do all these things a porter must be fit, be able to think clearly in an emergency, and be polite and friendly.
Next time you are waiting for a porter to answer your call, please be patient. He will be with you as soon as he can.

B C
Decide if these sentences are true (T) or false (F).
Don’t look at the article. Try to remember the
1. Porters only push food trolleys around. ___ verbs in the article and complete these
sentences.
2. They move patients around the hospital. ___
1. We _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ patients by wheelchair or
3. Porters take dead patients from the wards. __
stretcher.
4. Each ward makes 4.5 kilos of waste a day. ___
2. We _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ heavy equipment.
5. The porters destroy all the waste. ___
3. Each hospital bed _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4.5 kilos of
6. Porters give the patients their mail. ___
waste every day.
4. We _ _ _ _ _ _ the post and _ _ _ _ letters for
patients.
Handout 3 – Meeting 3

Emergency
1. General Check-up Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
• know how to deal with
Look at the picture.
emergency
What happened?
• can do the procedure of
What are they doing? first aid
Who are they? • can use imperatives for
instructions
• Know how to deal with
shock

2. Listening , First aid procedure

A Before listening, work with a partner to put these pictures in a logical order.
1. ___
2. ___
3. ___
4. ___
5. ___

B Listen to your lecturer giving instruction for first aid activity and compare your previous
answers to check the logical order of the pictures.
3. Vocabulary, Instruction for first aid
Complete each sentence with a verb from the list. Then listen again to check.
1. __________ him CPR
2. __________ him mouth to mouth first
3. __________ his head. check hold repeat
stand give press
4. Right, _______ his nose closed, then … set up support give
5. __________ your hand on his chest put

6. __________ clear oh his body.

7. …then ___________ the buttons and hold for two seconds.
8. __________ his pulse again.
9. OK- ____________ the procedure.
10. Well done, Now ___________ an IV and give…
Handout 3 – Meeting 3

4. Language Focus, Instructions

 To tell somebody what to do use imperatives:  When asking for instructions, use the present
Apply the pads to his chest. simple: have to, shall, should
Check for signs of circulation. Do I have to give you aspirin?
Shall I take off the dressing now?
 To tell somebody what not do, add Don’t … What dosage should I give him?
Don’t eat spicy food.
Don’t move too much.  To emphasize what is important, you can use:
Make sure…
Make sure the wound is clean
5. Speaking, What do you do?
Situation:
A car has crashed. You are the first to arrive on
the scene. The driver is unconscious.
What do you do?
Work in pair to discuss the situation above and
use vocabulary and expressions presented in
the previous sections.

6. Writing, Guessing Emergency

Example:
Work in pairs. Think of three emergencies that
Don’t move the person.
might happen while in street, doing sports, or
Make sure they are still breathing.
doing hiking. For each one write three
Keep the person warm until medical help arrives.
instructions to help them. Tell your instructions
to another pair. They must guess the
Q: What happened?
emergency.
A: A patient is unconscious

7. Reading, How to deal with shock

Read the article. Discuss the idea of the article in your group and tell the class in Bahasa Indonesia.
Dealing with Shock
Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the vital organs, such as brain and heart, are deprived of
oxygen, due to a problem affecting the circulatory system.

Recognition:
Treatment:
Look for:
• Help the person to lie down
• pale face,
• Treat any possible causes of shock
• Cold clammy skin
• Raise and support their legs if their injuries allow
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Loosen tight clothing
• Rapid, weak pulse
• Keep them warm
• Yawning
• Call 911 for emergency help.
• Sighing
(adopted from First aid advice provided by St John Ambulance)
• Unconsciousness
Handout 4 – Meeting 4

O/A = On Admissions
1. General Check-up Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
Look at the picture. • can perform an admission
• Have you ever seen procedure
• can understand and
those forms?
complete an admission
procedure
• Do you know what they • can ask personal details of
are for? their patients
• can use WH questions and
• When do people use expressions to initiate
the forms? communication

2. Vocabulary, The Admissions Procedure

Complete the sentences with the words on the left.

1. Take a seat in the __________________.

a triage nurse 2. The first nurse you meet will be a specialist called _____________.

treatment 3. This nurse will make _____________ of your problem.

an initial assessment 4. This helps decide who is __________________.

life-threatening 5. A patient with a ____________ condition will see

a priority a doctor immediately.

waiting room 6. A nurse will get personal details from you and fill in

registration a hospital ___________ form.

cubicle 7. When there is a free _____________, a doctor will see you.

8. The doctor will decide on the ___________________.

3. Language Focus, Expressions to initiate communications & WH Questions

Useful expressions to initiate communication Wh-questions

It’s time to…………..

I just want to ……… assess your health condition
I would like to ……. Interview you What is your job?
I’m going to ………. fill in admission form
I need to ……………
Do you have any health insurance?
Who is your next of kin?
Study the Wh-questions on the right. Then
decide what information are questioned?
Handout 4 – Meeting 4

4. Listening , A patient record form

Listen to the nurse get personal details from a 5. Writing, Patient summary
Patient. As you listen, complete the form. Write a simple summary report about the patient that you
hear in the listening section. Use the information in the
Patient Record patient record.
Surname : ……………………………………….
First name : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Gender : ………………………………………. __________________________________
DOB : ……………………………………….
Place of Birth : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Occupation : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Marital Status : ……………………………………….
Next of Kin : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Contact no. : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Smoking intake : ……………………………………….
Alcohol intake : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Reason for admission : ………………………………………. __________________________________
Family history : ……………………………………….
mental illness TBC diabetes HIV/AIDS __________________________________
__________________________________

6. Speaking, Taking Patient Record

Role Play (students A and B will play roles as a nurse and as a patient admitted to
hospital).
Student A – You are the nurse. Ask student B, the patient, questions in language focus to
complete the patient record below. Then change your roles.

Patient Record
Surname : ……………………………………….
First name : ……………………………………….
Gender : ……………………………………….
DOB : ……………………………………….
Place of Birth : ……………………………………….
Occupation : ……………………………………….
Marital Status : ……………………………………….
Next of Kin : ……………………………………….
Contact no. : ……………………………………….
Smoking intake : ……………………………………….
Alcohol intake : ……………………………………….
Reason for admission : ……………………………………….
Family history : ……………………………………….
mental illness TBC diabetes HIV/AIDS
Handout 4 – Meeting 4

7. Reading, Carmen Dornan: A receptionist

A Read the following article. Underline and find the meaning of difficult words from your dictionary.

Carmen Dornan
I’m a hospital receptionist. If you need to find somebody, or if you need to know anything about the hospital – ask
me. If you want new paper towels, or you need to speak to a surgeon – ask me.
I often meet people when they are frightened, angry, or drunk, so it’s important to be diplomatic and strong. I
often need to reassure people, so it’s important to be calm.
My normal work is to greet and assist patients when they arrive, make appointments for patients, record patients’
information, and organize and file patient records. I also keep the accounts. You need to be very organized to do
this job.
Of course, I have to operate computer, a fax machine, and other office equipment, but I also have to know first
aid, and understand medical terminology and abbreviations. My biggest problems are with the handwriting of
medical staff. It wastes a lot of time when I don’t understand reports and forms because of hand writing or
abbreviations.
I believe that without me and the other receptionists the whole hospital would come to a stop.

B Answer the following questions based the information in the reading text.

1. Why should a hospital receptionist be 1._________________________________

diplomatic and strong? __________________________________
2. What is a receptionist’s normal work? 2._________________________________
__________________________________
3. What are the other skills that a receptionist 3._________________________________
need to master? __________________________________
4. What problems does a receptionist usually 4._________________________________
have? __________________________________
5. Based on the article, how confident is Carmen 5._________________________________
about her job? __________________________________
____
Handout 5 – Meeting 5
Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS • can understand and describe signs and
symptoms
1. General Check-up • can ask patients about their signs and symptoms
A • can write a symptom report
cough • Can use all forms of question including question
for 3 tag
weeks

Look at the picture.

• Find the meaning of words in the
bubbles
• What do you know about it?
• What is the problem?

Watch the video

Discuss with your partner.
• What is the movie about?
• What is the patient’s problem?
Night
sweats

2. Listening, 3. Vocabulary, Symptoms

A Listen to patients describing B Listen again and tick(√) the words you hear
their symptoms, and match each from the list and find their meaning.
picture with their condition.

1. ____ 2. ____ 3. ____ Nouns Adjectives Meanings

deformity deformed
a lump lumpy
a bruising bruised
b swelling swollen
pain painful
numbness numb
fever feverish
redness red
tiredness Tiring
tired
c
ache achy
dizziness dizzy
sickness sick
constipation Constipated
Handout 5 – Meeting 5

4. Language Focus, Question forms

Study the following forms and samples.
• We change the word order to form a question with be, with tenses that are formed with
be and have, and with modal verbs such as can, will, should, etc.
• Are you all right? (NOT You are all right?)
• Can you move your fingers?
• We use the verb do to make questions with the Present and Past Simple.
• Does the drug have side effect? / What side effect does the drug have?
• Did you take your medication last night?
• If what, who, etc ask about the subject of the verb, do, did are not necessary.
• What happened? (NOT: What did happen?)
• Who said that? (NOT: Who did say that)
• We often use question tags to check information, to express surprise, to be friendly, etc.
• You don’t eat meat, do you?
• This is your first time on this ward, isn’t it?
• We sometimes leave out the verb, if it is easily understood.
• Any pain? = Do you have any pain?
• Comfortable? = Are you comfortable?

5. Speaking, Signs and symptoms

Study the conversation between a nurse and a patient NOW YOUR TURN
below and practice it with your partner. Then, read the Work with your partner. You are as a
direction in “NOW YOUR TURN” for a role play. patient and your partner is as a nurse.
Remember an experience when you have
N : How are you feeling?
had bad health problems such as bad
P : Not bad, thanks… a bit sore.
stomachache, headache, pain chest, injured
N : What happened to you?
accident, etc. Your partner (as a nurse) will
P : I fell off my bike.
ask you questions related to:
N : Where does it hurt?
a. what the problem is
P : Here… around my wrist.
b. When?
N : Can you move your fingers?
c. Pain? Where?
P : Yes, I can, slowly.
d. Swelling?
N : Is it painful?
e. Tender?
P : Yes, very! I’ve also got a cut on my leg – look.
f. Bruising?
N : That’s deep, isn’t it?
g. Deformed?
P : Yes, it is deep. Will I need stitches?
h. Pain movement?
N : May be. Have you had stitches before?
To record the data, the “nurse” should
P : No, never… and I don’t want any!
complete the ‘diagnosis table’ in writing
N : You’ve seen the doctor, haven’t you?
section.
P : No, I haven’t seen him any!

HOMEWORK
• Write a symptom report of your partner’s health problems based on diagnosis table completed in your class.
• Interview one of your family member asking for information about the symptoms of their health problems. p.11
Complete the diagnosis table and write a symptom report.
Handout 5 – Meeting 6

6. Writing, a symptom report

A Complete the following diagnosis table based on the information that you get in speaking
section. Please copy the diagnosis table to input data from one of your family members.

Diagnosis Table

Patient’s name :
Problems :
When :

Pain Yes No
Swelling Yes No
Tender Yes No
Bruising Yes No
Deformed Yes No
Pain movement Yes No

B Write a report about the symptoms your partner described in Speaking. Use the diagnosis table
you filled in to help you remember the detail. Use additional paper to write the symptom report
for one of your family members.

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
Handout 5 – Meeting 6

7. Reading
A Before you read the article, discuss the following question with your partner.
 Have you ever had symptoms with an unknown cause?
 What did the doctor say?
Mystery Syndromes
B Read the article, and tick (√) the things that
When you are ill, you expect your doctor to tell you what
each syndrome affects. you have, and then to treat you. But sometimes people
Chronic Gulf have symptoms whose cause is not understood. And for
Fatigue War these people it can be difficult or impossible to get
Syndrome Syndrome treatment.

appetite ____ ____ The main symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
is an overwhelming feeling of tiredness. The tiredness is so
arms ____ ____ disabling that it is impossible for the sufferer to continue
normal physical and mental activities. Other symptoms
head ____ ____ include muscle aches and pain, poor sleep, loss of appetite,
mood ____ ____ a recurrent sore throat, and swollen glands in the neck.
Sufferers often undergo many test for known diseases,
muscles ____ ____ which prove negative, and many feel that doctors see them
as hypochondriacs.
neck ____ ____
After the Gulf War of 1991, tens of thousands of ex-
skin ____ ____ soldiers suffer chronic illnesses which doctors still cannot
explain. Symptom includes dizziness, numbness in the
sleep ____ ____ arms, rashes, sever headaches, mood swings, and persistent,
____ extreme tiredness. The cause remains a mystery, but the
throat ____
symptoms have been given the name Gulf War Syndrome.
Some soldiers believe they may have been exposed to
C Work with a partner. Try to match the words chemical weapons without knowing, and others blame the
without looking back at the text. Then look vaccinations they were given before they went to war.
Military officials say that Gulf War Syndrome is not a real
back and check.
illness. There is o doubt the ex-soldiers are ill, they say,
but their symptoms are simply the result of stress.
May be one day the cause of these syndromes will be
a recurrent a sleep known and will be treatable. But for people like ex-soldier
Dave Harries, the first step is for their condition to be
an overwhelming glands recognized by the medical profession. Then people will
chronic swings believe that their symptoms are not imaginary.

loss of aches and pain

mood appetite
muscle sore throat
poor feeling of tiredness
Swollen illness
Handout 6 – Meeting 7

A Diabetic Patient
1. General Check-up Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
• understand about diabetes
• know how to deal with a
Read the news paper patient suffers from
headline. diabetes
What do you think? • can give advise for a
What do you know about diabetic patient
diabetes?

2. Vocabulary, Diabetes

Match these words with their definitions by using line .

1. Balance a. taking regular exercise.

b. small amounts of food that you eat
2. Childhood
between meals.
3. Diet c. sugar that the body uses for energy.
d. the time of your life when you are a
4. Glucose
child.
5. Active e. the correct amount of different things.
f. the type of foods that you usually eat.
6. Obesity
g. the condition of being very fat, in a way
7. Overweight that is not healthy
h. too heavy and fat.
8. Snacks

3. Language Focus, what would be correct

 Should / shouldn’t are used to give advice  Here are some other ways of giving
and to say what would be correct. advice.
You should give up smoking. It would be a good idea to loose some
Your blood sugar shouldn’t go over weight.
240mg/dl. I would see a nutritionist, if I were you.
 Should is weaker than must.

I should stop eating sweets – but I’m not

going to.
Handout 6 – Meeting 7

4. Listening, What a diabetic patient should/shouldn’t do?

Listen to your lecturer describing what a patient should do or shouldn’t do. Try to complete the
missing should/shouldn’t and verbs.
1. I’m getting fat. I _________ __________ more exercise.
2. You _______ ________ breakfast – it wakes up the body and provides fuel for the day.
3. People with high blood pressure _______ ________ too much salt on their food.
4. People with diabetes _________ __________ large meals.
5. Children _________ _________ too many sweets.
5. Speaking, 6. Writing, Eating disorder

A Work in pair. Interview your partner about his/her food intake, and write an eating disorder report.
Include information about these topics.
Eating Disorder Report
 What he/she typically eat sin a day. _____________________________________
 How many times he/she eats in a day, _____________________________________
 How active they are. _____________________________________
 How balanced their diet is. _____________________________________
 Their bad habits. _____________________________________
 their general health. diet _____________________________________
B _____________________________________
Based on the report make a note about _____________________________________
your recommendations, and tell the class _____________________________________
about what your partner should do or _____________________________________
shouldn’t do. _____________________________________

7. Reading, Diabetes
Read the article. Complete the missing words with the words in list. Discuss the idea of the article
with your partner and tell the class in Bahasa Indonesia.
Diabetes
1. balance
Diabetes occurs when your body does not produce enough
insulin, a hormone that controls the level ___________ in 2. childhood
the blood. One type of diabetes appears in _____________, 3. diet
and the other type appears after the age of eighteen.
It is very common for very __________ people to get 4. glucose
diabetes, so the illness is linked to _____________. For this 5. active
reason, it is important to get the right ____________
between food and exercise. It is important to be 6. obesity
___________ , and to eat healthy ___________, containing 7. overweight
plenty of fruit and vegetables. Nutritionists say
______________are better than big meals. 8. snacks
Handout 7 – Meeting 9
Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
PAIN • can understand a patient describing
1. General Check-up pain
• know how to assess their patients’
Look at the picture. pain
• Have you ever seen the chart below? • can write a report on a patient’s pain
• Discuss with your partner, what is it for? • can use adverbs of frequency

2. Vocabulary, Describing pain

Work with a partner and divide the words in
the bubble into the 3 groups in the table. dull localized
stabbing slight
nagging
1. To describe the location of the pain generalized severe
2. To describe how bad the pain is, or the type of the pain excruciating Intermittent
3. To describe the duration of the pain. continuous
burning
unbearable sharp
intolerable
occasional gnawing
radiating
persistent

1. Where is it? 2. How bad is it? 3. Does it last long? How long?
Handout 7 – Meeting 9

3. Listening, Is it painful?

Listen to the recording and complete the sentences.

1. “Where ……… it …………..?” How are these words
2. “Have you got any …………. In your chest?” pronounced?
3. “When you breath deeply, is it ……………any where?”
4. Yes, a little in my chest but here, in the back of my leg, it’s very wound
…………………….” sore
5. “Let me look at your ………………..(the operation site). I’ll just painful
take the dressing off first. That’s fine – it’s a little …………, but hurt
that’s quite normal. It’s OK. Don’t touch it before nurse puts pain
another dressing over it.”

4. Language Focus, Talking about frequency

A Study the questions to ask frequency and the expressions of frequency in the box.

Examples:
N: How often do you get this pain?
How often do you get this pain? P: I usually get this pain when I eat.

When does it hurt? N: When does it hurt?

…when the weather is cold… P: My tooth hurts
…every day/week/month…. all the time.
…when I move….
… after I eat something….

B
Please find at least five classmates. Ask
each of them questions of the frequency of
health problems they experience in a year.
E.g. headache, toothache, flu,
stomachache, earache, backache, etc.
Handout 7 – Meeting 10

5. Speaking, How to assess pain

Here are some basic questions to ask a patient when
assessing pain. Match the beginnings of the sentences
with the endings. Pain chart
Burning
1. Where does a. worse?
Stabbing
2. Does it b. it hurt?
3. When did it start c. does it hurt? Throbbing
4. Does the pain d. describe the pain?
5. How much e. hurting? Shooting
6. Can you f. hurt all the time?
Constant
7. Does anything g. stay in one place or
make move around? Frequent
8. What makes it h. the pain feel better?
Occasional
Mild
Role plays
Moderate
You are the nurse. Ask another student as a
patient about the pain he/she is experiencing, Severe
and fill in the pain chart at the next column.
Getting better
Getting worse
Staying the same

6. Writing, A pain report

Write a report about the pain your partner described in Speaking. Use the chart you filled in to
help you remember the detail. Look at the sample below

____________________________________________
Example ____________________________________________
A pain report ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
The patient has abdominal pain. It
____________________________________________
begun suddenly last night as mild but ____________________________________________
constant pain all over abdomen. Now it ____________________________________________
is getting worse, and is on the right- ____________________________________________
hand side to the abdomen. The pain ____________________________________________
has worse when he coughs. ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
___________________________________
Handout 7 – Meeting 10

7. Reading, Pain

A Before you read the article, discuss these questions with your partner
 Can you give a definition of ‘pain’?
 Why do we feel pain?
 What would happen if you could feel no pain?

B Read the article, and decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F)

1. People who are born unable to feel pain are unlucky. ____
2. Pain starts in the brain. ____
3. Chronic pain lasts longer than acute pain. ____
4. All drugs which stop pain work directly on the brain. ____
5. ‘Phantom limb’ pain is felt by people who have lost an arm or leg. ____

Pain
Pain is a vital part of our body’s defenses, and without it we could not survive.
Pain warns us what things are dangerous, and so helps us avoid damage to our body. If the body is already damages, pain
helps with healing because it makes us protect our injuries. Some babies are born with a rare condition that makes them
unable to feel pain. They do not learn the lessons that pain teaches, and as a result suffer many fractures and infections.
Pain happens when nerve endings in our skin and our internal organs send messages through the central nervous system to
our brain. The brain itself cannot feel pain. There are two types of pain – acute pain, which lasts a short time and is
removed when the cause is cured, and chronic pain, which can last a lifetime and cannot usually be treated. Chronic pain
must be managed using drugs or other methods.
Drugs relieve pain in two ways. Some block the nerves’ messages and prevent them getting to the brain. Others change the
way the brain receives the messages, reducing their effect. Many methods of controlling chronic pain without drugs have
been developed. These include hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, and electronic stimulation of nerves.
Pain sometimes works in strange ways. It is possible, for example, to suffer a serious injury but not feel any pain – soldiers in
battle may not feel pain from wounds until after the battle. The opposite can happen too – patient who lose a limb can
continue to feel pain in the limb long afterwards, even though it is missing.
Handout 8 – Meeting 11
Learning Outcomes:
In this topic students:
Observing Patients • know what to do to observe their patients’
1. General Check-up condition
• can record patients’ vital signs
• can describe readings and vital signs in a written
form
• can understand an article about blood pressure
• can use passive sentence

• What is the nurse doing?

• Do you have experience using the instruments?
• What do you know about the chart?
2. Vocabulary, Describing Reading and Vital signs

A Look at the expression and the pictures on your right. What does The baby’s temperature reading is 39.5°
the word “reading” mean?

B Work with a partner. Match each reading 1 – 4 with a

vital sign a – d.
1. 120 bpm a. temperature _____
2. 38.5° b. blood pressure _____
3. 150/90 c. heart rate _____
4. 18 bpm d. respiration _____
fell rising ‘s up
C Complete the sentences with the words in the box on your stable up and down
right. You may use your dictionary to find the meaning of
difficult words. went up varies back to

1. His temperature was ___________ all night, but now it’s ___________ at 37.5.

2. Hear heart rate ___________ to 20 bpm, but now it’s _______________ again.

3. His blood pressure ______________ from 120/80 to 160/100.

4. Her pulse rate was extremely low, but now it _______________ to 70.

5. His respiratory rate _____________ between 10 and 25 bpm.

6. He was running a fever, but his temperature’s _____________ normal now.

Handout 8 – Meeting 11

3. Listening , Taking Reading and Vital Signs

A Please write the words or expressions B Listen to nurses observing their patients and
that you hear and find their meanings. answer the following questions.

1. _______________:_______________ 1. What is her patient’s temperature? ________

2. _______________:_______________ 2. What is his patient’s heart rate? _______
3. _______________:_______________ 3. What is her patient’s blood pressure? _______
4. _______________:_______________ 4. What is his patient’s respiratory rate? _______
5. _______________:_______________
6. _______________:_______________

4. Language Focus, The Passive

We use passive verbs to say what is done to people and things. We use be and the third form
of verb. Passive verb forms are very common in medical English.

Example:
Rini was admitted to hospital.
The patient’s progress is monitored every hour.

Underline the correct form of the verbs in italics

My friend admitted / was admitted to hospital

for an operation. She didn’t give / wasn’t given
food for eight hours. She brought / was
brought to the theatre at 7:00 pm. Her family
was asked / asked to wait at the waiting room.

5. Writing, Describing readings and Vital signs

Look at the following data and graph. Please describe the patient, reading and vital signs in a
short paragraph. Use the words and expressions in vocabulary section.
temperature
42
40
°C38
36 temperature
34
32
16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00
time
Handout 8 – Meeting 12

6. Speaking, Observing temperature and blood pressure

Please come to two of your friends and check their temperature and blood pressure. Then tell the
class about the different of their readings and vital signs.

7. Reading, Blood pressure

Before you read the whole text, please check the meaning of the bold and underlined words and
expressions .

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels. When used without
further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure in the systemic circulation. It is usually
measured at a person's upper arm. Blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic (maximum) pressure
over diastolic (minimum) pressure and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). It is one of the vital signs along
with respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. Normal resting blood pressure in an adult is
approximately 120/80 mm Hg.
Blood pressure varies depending on situation, activity, and disease states. It is regulated by
the nervous and endocrine systems. Blood pressure that is low due to a disease state is called hypotension, and
pressure that is consistently high is hypertension. Both have many causes which can range from mild to severe. Both
may be of sudden onset or of long duration. Long term hypertension is a risk factor for many diseases, including kidney
failure, heart disease, and stroke. Long term hypertension is more common than long term hypotension in Western
countries. Long term hypertension often goes undetected because of infrequent monitoring and the absence of
symptoms.

Answer the following questions based on the information that you get in the text. Remember,
your answer should be the idea that you should write in Bahasa Indonesia.

1. What is Blood Pressure? 1. ____________________________________

2. Where is BP usually measured? 2. _____________________________________
3. What are the vital signs? 3. _____________________________________
4. What makes BP vary? 4. _____________________________________
5. According to the text what is the different 5. _____________________________________
between hypotension and hypertension? _____________________________________
6. Why is long term hypertension undetected? 6. _____________________________________
Handout 9 – Meeting 13

Medication
Learning Outcomes: 1. General Check-up
In this topic students:
• can understand instructions for Look at the pictures on
giving medication and dosages your right.
• can understand what medication • What pictures is it?
to give to the patients
• can understand how to treat • Can you understand the
wound infection handwriting?
• can use be going to and
continuous to express about
future event

2. Vocabulary, Types and Forms of Medication

A Complete the sentences with a type of medicine in the box.

a. A pain killer
1. _____________ makes you relaxed and sleepy.
b. A sedative
c. An anti-inflammatory 2. _____________ reduces feelings of extreme sadness.

d. An inoculation 3. _____________ increases activity in the body.

e. An antibiotic 4. _____________ treats allergies.
f. An antihistamine 5. _____________ provides a substance that the body lacks.
g. A stimulant 6. _____________ encourages bowel movements.
h. An antidepressant 7. _____________ reduces swelling.
i. A laxative
8. _____________ relieves pain.
j. A supplement
9. _____________ protects you against infectious diseases.
B Match the pictures with these names. 10. _____________ kills bacteria and other germs.
1. Syringe ____
a
d
2. Inhaler ____ b c e
3. Ointment ____
4. Capsules ____
5. IV drip ____ g
f
6. Suppository ____
7. Adhesive patch ____ i
8. Tablespoon ____ h
9. Dropper ____
Handout 9 – Meeting 13

3. Listening , Patient Medication & Dosages

A Listen to the nurse give information about patients’ medication. Match each patient with the
problem they have and with a medication type.

Patient Problems Medication

Mr. Gupta Allergy Antibiotic

Mr. Gill Constipation Painkiller

Mr. Sawyer Skin infection Laxative

Mr. Thomas Respiratory tract infection Antibiotic

Mr. Cheong Abdominal pain Antihistamine

B Listen again and write down the dosage for each patient.

1. Mr. Gupta : _____________ mg of Morphine every _____ hours.

2. Mr. Gill : a _____________ mg infusion of Clindamycin over a _______ hour period.
3. Mr. Sawyer : one ___________ mg tablespoon of Metamucil, ______ times a day.
4. Mr. Thomas : _____________ mg of Cephalexin every ________ hours.
5. Mr. Cheong : an injection of ___________ mg of Dimotane every ______ hours.

4. Language Focus, Be going to & Present continuous for future

We can use be going to : • We use the present continuous

to talk about things we have
• To make prediction about the future, based on the signs we can see now. scheduled in the future.
e.g. The scan is very clear, you are going to have twins! • We often use the present
continuous with expressions
• To talk about your next action. like next week, in May,
e.g. I’m going to take your temperature. tomorrow, etc.
• To talk about something you have decided to do. e.g. What shift are you working next
week?
e.g. I’m going to apply for a job in Sydney.
I’m working nights next week.
Handout 9 – Meeting 14

5. Writing, Making prediction for future event

Write sentences making prediction about your classmates, at least five students. Give a reason
for each one.
Example: Toni is going to see a doctor this afternoon because he is sick.

1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. Speaking, Treatment and Medication

Work in pairs. Match these pictures with the

medical problems.
…….. ……..
a. An infection
b. A cut
c. An insect bite ……..
d. Constipation
e. An allergy
……..
……..

Tell your partner that you have one of the

conditions in the pictures. Ask him/her for
help. Then, your partner will suggest you a
treatment and medication to help you.
(You may write the dialogue first, then
practice it in front of the class)
Handout 9 – Meeting 14

7. Reading

Read the article below and answer the following questions in Bahasa Indonesia.

Wound Infection
A wound infection is when bacteria enter a break in the skin. Anything that decreases your body's ability to heal wounds may put
you at risk for a wound infection. This includes any of the following:
• Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, or liver, kidney or lung conditions slow healing.
• Foreign objects such as glass or metal can get stuck in the wound and delay healing.
• Poor blood supply to the wound increases your risk for infection. Blood flow may be decreased by high blood pressure, and
blocked or narrowed blood vessels. Your risk also increases if you smoke, or have blood vessel problems or a heart condition.
• Repeated trauma to a healing wound may increase your risk for an infection, and delay healing.
• A weak immune system caused by radiation, poor nutrition, or certain medicines increases your risk for an infection.
The signs and symptoms of a wound infection are fever; warm, red, painful, swollen wound; blood or pus coming from the wound;
foul odor coming from the wound; and dizziness or a fast heartbeat.
To diagnose a wound infection a caregiver will ask about your medical history and examine you. He will ask how and when you
were wounded. You may have any of the following tests:
• Blood tests may be done to check for infection.
• X-rays may be done to look for broken bones, other injuries, or objects stuck in the skin.
• A CT or MRI scan may be used to take pictures of the bones and tissues in your wound area. They may be done to look for
infection or other problems such as a foreign object in your wound. You may be given dye to help the pictures show up better.
Tell the caregiver if you have ever had an allergic reaction to contrast dye. Do not enter the MRI room with anything metal.
Metal can cause serious injury. Tell the caregiver if you have any metal in or on your body.
Treatment will depend on how severe the wound is, its location, and whether other areas are affected. It may also depend on your
health and the length of time you have had the wound. Ask your caregiver about these and other treatments you may need:
• Wound cleaning may be done with soap and water to wash away germs and decrease the risk for infection. Your caregiver may
cut open a part of the affected area to clean it better. The wound may be rinsed with sterile water. Germ-killing solutions may
also be used. Objects, dirt, or dead tissue from the wound will be removed with debridement (surgical cleaning). Wet bandages
may be placed inside the wound and left to dry. Other wet or dry dressings may also be used. Your caregiver may also drain
the wound to clean out pus.
• Antibiotics help fight or prevent an infection caused by bacteria.
• NSAIDs help decrease swelling and pain or fever. This medicine is available with or without a doctor's order. NSAIDs can
cause stomach bleeding or kidney problems in certain people. If you take blood thinner medicine, always ask your healthcare
provider if NSAIDs are safe for you. Always read the medicine label and follow directions.

1. What is a wound infection? 1. ____________________________________

2. What increases may risk for a wound 2. _____________________________________
infection? 3. _____________________________________
3. What are the signs and symptoms of a 4. _____________________________________
wound infection? 5. _____________________________________
4. How is a wound infection diagnosed? _____________________________________
5. How is a wound infection treated?
Handout 10 – Meeting 15

Alternative Treatments Learning Outcomes:

1. General Check-up In this unit students:
• can describe alternative
treatment
• know natural medicines
• know how to give reasons
• can argue for and against
something

Look at the picture.

• What treatment is being
performed in each picture?
• What do you know about it?
• Have you tried it?
• Would you tried it?
2. Vocabulary, Types of Therapy
Complete the descriptions with the words below, and match each description to a therapy.
Energy herbs channels pressure points
Heal stimulate therapist functioning

1. Putting heated cups on the skin to stuck bad ______________ from the
a. Traditional Chinese body. ___
medicine 2. The use of hot and cold water and underwater exercise to ___________
b. acupuncture the immune system. ___
3. Massaging hands and feet to unblock energy ____________________.
c. Music therapy
___
d. cupping 4. Inserting needles into _______________ on the body to control the
e. reflexology energy called qi.___
f. hydrotherapy 5. Using sound to help patient control pain and improve physical and
g. Faith healing mental____________. ___
h. Reiki 6. Using prayer to ask God or spirit to ____________ the patient. ___
7. Using Chinese knowledge of ____________to balance yin and yang. ___
8. Laying of the _____________ ‘s hands on the patients to bring energy
into the body.___

3. Language Focus, Giving reasons

We can give reasons for things in a number of  …so that…

ways Elephants eat leaves so that their
labor will be easier.
 for + noun  that’s why…
I see reflexologist for my back pain I use only herbal medicine –that’s why
 for + ing I am so healthy.
Birds use these plants for building nests. because
 to + infinitive Animals put ants on their skin because
I visited a healer to get relief from the pain. they produce formic acid.
Handout 10 – Meeting 15

4. Listening, Therapy
Listen to your lecturer describing types of therapies and reasons to take them. Complete the
missing words
1. I have ________ therapy to improve my __________.
2. Lie in the ________ so that you get the full _________ of the __________.
3. People use this ___________ for diabetic.
4. I take ____________ every day ______ ____ it stops me getting cold.
5. She believes in ____________ for _________ and relaxation.
5. Speaking, Give reasons why
Debate
You are going to debate whether traditional medicine (herbal treatment) or modern (using
chemical medicine ) is better for a patient suffer from flue, diarrhea, tumor, or cough. Work in
pair. You are free to choose traditional or chemical medicine and discuss the reasons with your
partner. You are going to debate against another pair.
6. Writing, Medicinal Plants
Browse on the internet about a plant that is used as medicine . Please write a short report
related to the following information.
1. It looks like ____________________________.
1. What it looks like 2. ______________________________________.
2. Where it grows 3. ______________________________________.
3. What is used for 4. _______________________________________
4. How it is prepared for use _______________________________________
_______________________________________

7. Reading, Herbal medicine

Read the article. Find the meaning of underlined words. Discuss the idea of the article with your
partner and tell the class in Bahasa Indonesia.

Herbal Medicine
An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines
are one type of dietary supplement. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and
fresh or dried plants. People use herbal medicines to tray to maintain or improve their health.
Many people believe that products labeled “natural” are always safe and good for them. This not
necessarily true. Herbal medicines do not have to go through the testing that drugs do. Some herbs,
such as comfrey and ephedra, can cause serious harm. Some herbs can interact with prescription or
over-the-counter medicine.
If you are thinking about using an herbal medicine, first get information on it from reliable sources.
Make sure to tell your health care provider about any herbal medicines you are taking.