English For The Professional Nurse

Author:
Leyla Khansa
Zuhrotul Ulfiah
Siti Ma’rifatul Amaliyyah
Diana Dias Paramita

Department of English STKIP PGRI Pasuruan

Academic Year 2011

First Press:
6th January, 2015
English For The Professional Nurse
 English For The Professional Nurse

Nowadays, competence in English has become an urgent need for nurses who are
involved in medical services. It is due to the fact that they are required to have the ability to
communicate with the other people in their field including doctors and patients.
English for Professional Nurse Book 1 is prepared for the demands of professional nursing
also include English Competence. This book provides nurse students to improve their English
skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing.
The contents of this book are based on the standard and fundamental nursing
procedures taught in previous year, so that the contents are not something strange for the
nurses. This course book is certainly help to facilitate the student to acquire the ability to
perform their duties in an environment where English is used and needed. I wish that this
book will be studied and practiced easily to achieve the competence of Nursing English.
I hope that by the use of this book, the nursing students will be able to learn and
practice English according to their professional skills. By mastering English for Professional
Nurse Book 1, it will improve their quality of human resources and they will have added
value so that job opportunities will be widely open for them to reach a bright future.

Author

Preface ii
English For The Professional Nurse
 English For The Professional Nurse

PREFACE
CONTENTS

PART ONE
Chapter 1 Health Problems
Chapter 2 Asking and Showing Rooms in Hospital

PART TWO
Chapter 3 Health Problem
Chapter 4 Dimension of Symptoms

PART THREE
Chapter 5 Diagnosing Health Problems
Chapter 6 Sharing Observation

PART FOUR
Chapter 7 General Assessment
Chapter 8 Patient Assessment

PART FIVE
Chapter 9 Checking Vital Sign
Chapter 10 Discharge Instruction

TEST YOUR COMPETENCE

ANSWER KEY
REFERENCES

Contents iv
 English For The Professional Nurse

ursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of

health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury,
alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of
human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals,
families, communities, and populations.
 English For The Professional Nurse

Useful Expressions…

 Hello
 Assalamualaikum
 Good [Morning/Afternoon/ Evening] Mr./Miss/Mrs…

 I’m nurse ……… [your name]

 I’ll take care of you today

 How can I address you?

 Is it “Miss or Mrs. …......?
 May I address you with ………?

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 Please, address me with ………

 Call me ………
 You may address me ………
 Why don’t you call me ………

 Now, I need to visit other patients.

 If you need [anything/a help/something/assistance]
please just press the call button, a nurse will help you

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Introducing yourself to a colleague!

Fill in the blanks with suitable expressions, and then practice with your partner!

Nurse Mellissa: Hi, what’s your name?

New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………
Nurse Mellissa: I’m Mellissa. I haven’t see you before
New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………
Nurse Mellissa: Where are you from?
New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………
Nurse Mellissa: How long have you been in this country?
New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………
Nurse Mellissa: How do you like this country?
New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………
Nurse Mellissa: Nice to meet you.
New Nurse: …………………………………………………………………………

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ACTIVITY – Task 2

Do this in pairs!
Ask your partner more about her/his personal information. Use this questionnaire.
After asking your partner, take turn to answer his/her question. Use the same.

What’s your name?

What’s your hobby?
1.
2. My name is …
My hobby is …
1.

The example of
3. Where are you from?
I’m from …
2.
Questionnaire

The answers
For nurse 1

4. Where do you live

I live in …
3.
now? 4.
5. How long have you
for …
5. I have been living there
been living there?
6. Where did you study 6. I study nursing at …
nursing? 7. I’ve studied here for …
7. How long have you
studied here?

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Write your profile!

Read the example personal profile and write a similar one about yourself,
explaining:
 why you became a nurse
 what you are doing now
 your career plans.

Example Personal Profile

When I was a child I wanted to be an accountant because mathematics was my favorite subject
at school. I was no good at science and not very good with people, so I thought that nursing
was not for me. But when I was sixteen my grandmother got very ill. I watched the nurses care
for her as she slowly died, and I realized that I wanted to be like them.
When I left school I applied to train as a nurse. A training college accepted me and I started the
course two years ago. I am still training and getting experience. I know that nursing is not right
for everyone, but personally I love it.
For the past two months I have been working in a children’s ward. It’s a wonderful experience
and I’m going to specialize in pediatrics as soon as I can. I’m ambitious and I want to go as high
in my chosen career as possible.

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 English For The Professional Nurse

Useful Expressions…

Visitor/Patient: How to Ask for Direction

Could you tell me how to get to...?

Can you tell me where...is?
I’m looking for... How can I get there?
Excuse me, can you tell me the way to..., please?

How to Give Simple Directions:

 Walk down…
 Go along this…
 Go upstairs…
 Until you find…
Showing A Place or Room:

 Then turn right/left… It is………

 Take the first turn on the right.  on the right/left side of…
 Take the second road on the left.  next to…
 Then turn right/left at the next T junction.  near…
 Turn right/left at the traffic light.  at the opposite of…
 at the corner of…
 just before…
 across from…

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ACTIVITY – Task 1

 Make group of four

 Each group decides a place based on the map above
 Tell the place one by one in front of the other groups, and then let them guess the
place
 The fastest group who raise their hands become the group which has a chance to
answer/guess it
 The winner is the group which has the highest point
 Other groups take their turn
For example : From the Main Gate, go straight through car park until you find an
entrance. Then you turn left. The room is a wide one.

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ACTIVITY – Task 2

This is the site map of the first floor in a hospital

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This is the second floor in a hospital

Refer to the site map above, make a communication exchange to show the direction!
The starting points are as follows:
1. The security to maternity unit
2. The nurse station in ICU to the canteen
3. The security to the toilet (between dispensary and radiology)
4. The emergency room to the lift
5. The polyclinic to the pediatric ward (on the 2nd floor)
6. The waiting room to the children playground (on the 2nd floor)
7. The operation room to ICU (opposite the physiotherapy unit)
8. The entrance to the Class 1
9. The nurse station (near the lift on 2nd floor) to the laboratory
10. The emergency room to admission

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ACTIVITY – Task 3

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences!

1. Walk into / over / through the doors at the end of the corridor.

There’s a sign under / over / at the door.

2. Turn left / away / on after Pathology.

It’s easiest to take the lift up to / on the top / into Surgery.

3.
4.
5. The Pharmacy is the second door on / at / opposite the right.
6. The car park is in front / inside / opposite the main entrance.
7. Go straight at the bottom of / under / towards the stairs.
8. Your ward is by / opposite / next to Physiotherapy.

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Complete the sentences with the words from the list!

1. The pharmacy _______________ medicines. transport
2. Take the _______________ to get to the next floor. waste
lift
We use _______________ for patients who can’t sit up.
3. Go along this _______________ and through the doors.
4. dispenses
mortuary
5. _______________ is next to the main entrance.
reception
6. Each bed produces 4.5 kilos of _______________ each day.
stretchers
7. Dead patients are taken to the _______________. corridor
8. Porters _______________ heavy equipment.

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 English For The Professional Nurse

he body and all of the parts inside makes a good

mechanism, every body part inside the body have their
own job to do to ensure that the body function as one
mechanized thing, the structure determines what does what,
how and when.
 English For The Professional Nurse

Vocabulary…

Study the vocabulary and its description listed below!

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE

to have + noun an ache sprained
to ache a pain stiff
to hurt a bruise sore
to throb a rash painful
to itch a cut dizzy
to irritate a scar fainted
to injure a swelling injured
a graze
a sting
a bite

Description of “ache, pain, hurt, injured, throb and itch”

ache (v): merasa sakit yang tidak terlalu, tetapi berlangsung terus menerus
Examples:
• I‟m aching all over
• Her eyes ache from lack of sleep
ache (n): rasa sakit
Examples:
• Mom, I‟ve got a tummy ache
• Muscular aches and pains can be soothed by a relaxing massage
• Bellyache/stomachache: sakit perut

Parts of The Body 11

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Pain (n): suatu rasa yang dialami tubuh akibat suatu penyakit atau luka atau
tindakan tertentu
Examples:
•
•
She was clearly in a lot of pain

•
He felt a sharp pain in his knee

•
Patients suffering from acute pain

•
The booklet contains information on pain relief during labor
This cream should help to relieve the pain
painful (adj): terasa sakit
Examples:
• Is your back still painful?
• My ankle is still too painful to walk on
hurt (v): menyebabkan terasa sakit secara fisik, terluka
Examples:
•
•
He hurt his back playing squash

•
Did you hurt yourself?

•
My back is really hurting me today
Strong light hurts my eyes
Injured (adj): melukai, luka, menyebabkan luka
Examples:
• He injured his knee when playing hockey
• She injured herself during training
throb (v): terasa sakit berdenyut‐denyut
Examples:
• His head throbbed painfully
• My feet were throbbing after the long walk home
throb (n): sakit yang berdenyut
Examples:
• My headache faded to a dull throbbing
sore (adj): sakit, perih (bias karena infeksi atau gerakan yang berlebihan)
Examples:
• I have a sore throat
• His feet were sore after the long walk
• My stomach is still sore after the operation
Itch (v): gatal
Examples:
• I itch all over
• Does the rash itch?
• This sweater really itches

Parts of The Body 12

 English For The Professional Nurse

Useful Expressions…

 Would/Can you show me/point at the location of your pain?

 Show me where the location of your pain is?
 Where is the pain?
 Is it (your pain) in your + (part of the body)?
 Do you feel pain in your + (part of the body)?

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Translate into communicative English using the words given below!

1. (pain) Saya merasakan sakit sekali di lutut saya
_____________________________________________________________________
2. (hurt) Pergelangan kaki saya nyeri
_____________________________________________________________________
3. (throb) Kepala saya pusing berdenyut‐denyut
_____________________________________________________________________
4. (itch) Punggung saya terasa gatal
_____________________________________________________________________
5. (injured) Jari tangan saya terluka
_____________________________________________________________________
6. (sore) Tenggorokan saya sakit
_____________________________________________________________________
7. (hurt) Sinar yang sangat terang akan menyakitkan mata
_____________________________________________________________________
8. (ache) Kaki saya sakit karena terlalu banyak berlari
_____________________________________________________________________
9. (pain) Saya merasa sakit disini
_____________________________________________________________________
10. (painful) Punggung saya terasa sakit sekali
_____________________________________________________________________

Parts of The Body 13

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ACTIVITY – Task 2

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient!

Patient: Call a nurse, state your complaint!

Nurse: Ask what the problem is

Nurse: Repeat patient’s expression for sure

Nurse: ask patient to tell the location of

Patient: Tell nurse where you feel the pain

Parts of The Body 14

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Useful Expressions…

Locations

 Where do you feel it?

 Does it move around?
Quality or Character

 Show me where. 
Do you feel ….?
What is it like? Is it sharp, dull, stabbing, aching?

 What does the pain look like?
 When did it last?

Severity

 On a scale of 0 to 10, with ten the worst, how would you rate what you feel right now?
 What was the worst it has been?
 Does this interferer your usual activities? In what ways?

Timing

 When did you first notice it?

 How long does it last?
Setting

 Does it occur in a particular place or under  How often does it happen?

certain circumstances?
 Have you taken anything for it?
 Does it appear in particular time?

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ACTIVITY – Task 1

1. Make a complete conversation to explore the dimensions of symptom!

2. Take one case only!

Case 1

• I don’t want to have a lot of meal

A patient with anorexia nervosa expresses:

• I don’t want to be plump

• My arms and legs are getting fat
• I have difficulty in bowel motion
• I feel nausea
• I want to vomit
• Food makes my stomach upset
• I am afraid of being fat

Case 2

• I feel pain around my navel

A patient suspected with appendicitis expresses:

• I feel pain around here (in the lower right spot of my abdomen)
• I feel a sharp pain
• Don’t touch my stomach, it increases my pain
• I feel feverish
• I feel nausea
• I vomit
• I lose my appetite
• I vomit frequently after meals
• I have recurrent pain in my lower part of my stomach
• It becomes more painful if I do the squatting bowel motion

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ACTIVITY – Task 2

don’t all feel pain in the same way. Researchers are trying to learn more about
Pain is important because it tells us that we are injured or ill. However, we

this fact. Their experiments show that children are more sensitive to pain than
adults, and that men can tolerate more pain than women.
Pain is also difficult to measure and describe. This is a problem because it is
an important symptom and medics (medical staff) need information from
patients about it. It is therefore common practice to give patients lists of words
and ask them to say which words best describe three things: the type of pain they
are suffering, its intensity (how bad it is) and its frequency (how often they feel
it).
With some patients, such as children, words don’t work very well to describe
intensity, so medics use smiley faces or sometimes colors. For example, blues
mean a mild pain and reds mean severe pain. Some medics prefer a range of
numbers; 0 is no pain and 10 is unbearable pain.
Pain does not always show where an injury is. Internal organs, for example,

pain in a different part of the body. This is called ‘referred pain’. One example of
do not have many pain receiving nerve endings, so internal injuries often cause

referred pain is when someone suffering a heart attack feels pain in their left
shoulder, arm or hand.

Use the information in the text to complete the sentences with a, b or c!

why……
1. Researchers are trying to find out

describe……
4. Medics ask patients for a number to
a. people experience pain differently.
b. people feel pain.
a. the kind of pain they have.
2. Experiments show that……
c. pain is important to people.
c. how often they’re in pain.
b. how bad the pain is.
a. pain is worse for men than women.
to……
5. To describe pain, medics ask children
b. men can take more pain than
women.
a. point to a smiley face.
3. Nurses need to measure a patient’s pain
c. children feel less pain than adults.
b. think of some numbers.
because……
6. You experience referred pain……
c. say how it feels.
a. pain is a problem.
a. only in your internal organs.
c. patients can’t describe it.
b. pain is a symptom.
b. long after an injury.
c. in a different place from an injury.

Parts of The Body 17

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esearch shows that when patients are engaged in their health

care, it can lead to measurable improvements in safety and
quality. To promote stronger engagement, Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality developed the Guide to Patient and Family
Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety, a tested, evidence-based
resource to help hospitals work as partners with patients and families to
improve quality and safety.
 English For The Professional Nurse

Vocabulary…

break Waterworks In a bad shape Dribble

Bother Constipation Not in any shape Clammy
Bowel movement Lassitude Bloated

Useful Expressions…

Nurse’s questions to check the patient’s complaint/condition

1. What’s your problem?

2. How are you feeling today?

What’s your chief complaint?

3. What makes you call me?

What’s troubling you?

4.

What’s the matter with you?

5.

What’s wrong with you?

6.
7.
8. What seems to be bothering you?

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Patient’s expressions about symptoms and physical problem

1. I have + (a part of the body + ache)

a toothache
a headache
a stomachache
a backache 2. I have + (a sore + part of the body)
a sore throat
a sore foot
a sore arm
3. I have/get + kinds of physical problem a sore knee
the measies
the flu
a cold
a bloody vomit and stool
a bowel movement
a bad cough
4. I feel + kinds of physical problems
a fever
dizzy
slick
fever
cold and clammy
unwell
in bad shape

6. I suffer from + kinds of certain illness

cancer
constipation

7. I sprained my (possessive) + joints/bones problems

ankle
broke
collarbone
hurt
leg
arm

Nurse’s report/diagnose/how to report about patient’s condition/complaint

Reporting
 He/She complains about his/her + part of the body
has + health problem
suffers from + health problem

 He/She may have ………

Diagnosis
+ disease/health problem
seems to have

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ACTIVITY – Task 1

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient.

Case:
A patient suspected with a gastric peptic ulcer. The symptoms are burning and
gnawing felt in the upper part of the abdomen. The pain confines in the lower chest.
The pains come and go.
Conversation 1

Patient: Call a nurse, state your complaint!

Nurse: Ask what the problem is

Nurse : Repeat patient’s expression for sure,

and tell the patient that you will
report his/her condition to specialist

Conversation 2

Doctor : Call a nurse; ask about the patient’s

complaint

Nurse : Tell the doctor about the symptoms

and your diagnosis

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ACTIVITY – Task 2

Writing a symptom report!

Read the example report about the fatal symptoms of one patient.
Use the notes in the box to write a similar report about a patient with symptoms of
an angina attack.

Example Report
The victim was a 60-year-old man. Two days ago he complained of a bad cough

his wife that his fingers were numb. At two o’clock in the afternoon he felt dizzy,
and said he felt nauseous. Yesterday his ankles and feet were swollen and he told

fell over and lost consciousness. He died of heart failure in the ambulance.

NOTES
Patient : 55-year-old woman
Admitted to hospital : Monday 13th June 18.35
Presenting symptoms : burning pain in the centre of
chest, nausea, numbness in fingers
Diagnosis : angina attack
Treatment : rest & glyceryl trinitrate
Follow-up : Tuesday 11.00: No symptoms,
vital signs normal
14.00: Discharged

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Vocabulary…

Pale Daydream Suffocate Bouncy

Tense Tired Moan Stiff
Painful Rigid Groan Sigh
Afraid of… Gasp contempt bruise
Tender Swollen

Useful Expressions…

Study and practice these useful expressions!

 You look ……
 Your (part of the body) looks …… uncomfortable when …… (v-ing)
with your (parts of the body
 You seem to have + (a problem with + a part of the body)
+ (a health problem: such as a stomachache, a chest pain)

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ACTIVITY – Task 1

Practice the substitution drill below!

1. You look ………
tense
stiff
happy
sad

2. Your ……… looks ………

etc.

skin sallow
eyes reddish

3. You seem uncomfortable when ………

nail yellowish

walking
moving your hand

4. You look uncomfortable with your ………

changing your clothes

legs
position
stomach
chest

ACTIVITY – Task 2

 Make into groups consist of 6 participants

 Cut pictures available in supplementary material below
 Observe their expressions

 Show each picture to the class, and tell your observations
Share your observations to each of them

Ask and Report 24

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Ask and Report 25

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ACTIVITY – Task 3

Signs and symptoms are the tools for making a diagnosis, but what is the
difference between the two?
The signs of an illness are the things that a doctor or nurse can see and
measure. Signs are things like spots and bleeding. Temperature, heart rate, blood

Symptoms are the things which a patient experiences, but others can’t always see.
pressure and respiration rate are all signs because you can measure them.

Dizziness and nausea are examples of symptoms.

The symptoms which make a patient seek medical help in the first place are
called the presenting symptoms. Medics describe them in terms of being either
strong, mild or weak. Sometimes the symptoms of serious illnesses like cancer and
diabetes are weak. They stay weak for a long time and the illness remains
undiagnosed.

specific. Fatigue is an example of this. It’s a symptom of many kinds of illness,

Many illnesses have the same symptoms. These symptoms are called non-

both chronic and acute, and of both physical and mental disorders.
Doctors ask patients about the onset of the symptoms, what they feel like,
what relieves them and what makes them worse. The more detail they have, the
faster they can make a diagnosis.

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the text.

You can’t see symptoms.

1. You need signs and symptoms for a diagnosis. [_____]
2. [_____]
3. Patients presenting symptoms are either strong, mild or weak. [_____]
4. Killer diseases can have weak symptoms. [_____]
5. Non-specific symptoms help a lot with diagnosis. [_____]
6. Too much information slows up diagnosis. [_____]

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he best way to improve patient satisfaction is to use methods of

assessing patients' views over a wide range of specific issues. Then
the conclusions can be used to work with patients to develop a service
that is of the greatest benefit to those who use the service, as well as a
pleasure to those who provide the service.
 English For The Professional Nurse

Part 1: Collecting Demographic Data Elements

Useful Expressions…

a) Implementation step

 It is time for me to ……….

Explaining what you are going to do immediately.

 I just want to ……….

 I would like to ……….
 I am going to ……….
interview you

 I need to ……….
assess your health condition

b) Question to collect demographic data elements

Question To Ask
NAME What is your name?
What is your complete name?
What is your surname?

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AGE How old are you?

ADDRESS What is your address?

Where do you live?

PHONE Your phone number, please

What is your phone number?
Do you have a mobile phone number?

MARITAL STATUS Are you married?

HEALTH INSURANCE Do you have any health insurance?

OCCUPPPATION & TITLE What is your occupation?

Do you have any academic title?
What is your title?
What do you do?

NEXT OF KIN Who is your next of kin?

REASON FOR CONTACT*) What brings you in this hospital?

Who sends you to this hospital?
What makes you come to this hospital?

*) It is a reason that makes you come to hospital. It can be a chief complaint,

medical checkup.

Assessing 29
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ACTIVITY – Task 1

Pair Work
 Interview your partner
 Fill in the blanks with his/her personal demographic data

Name : _______________________________
Age : _______________________________
Sex : _______________________________
Address : _______________________________
City, State : _______________________________
Phone : _______________________________
Religion : _______________________________
Marital Status : _______________________________
Health Insurance : _______________________________
Current Occupation and Title : _______________________________
Next of Kin : _______________________________
Reason for contact : _______________________________
Date, time of contact : _______________________________

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Part 2: Current – Health and Illness Status

Useful Expressions…

CURRENT HEALTH STATUS

 What do you think about your health?
 Would you tell me about your health condition recently?
Sample of patient’s response:
“I’m usually healthy, have usual cold, and have to take medicine
for high blood pressure”

ELIMINATION PATTERN
 Would you tell me about your ………?
 How many times a day do you do your ………?
 Do you have any problem with your ………?
o bowel movement?
waterworks?
 Is the stool formed or loosed?
o

 Is your waterworks sluggish?

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Part 3: History of Past Health and Illness

Useful Expressions…

a) Asking Common Communicable Disease

 Have you ever had + a kind of disease……?

Response: Yes, I have/No, I haven’t
 How old were you when you got it?
Response: I was about ……years old
 Are you allergic to……(a certain food/medication)
(Example: Are you allergic to penicillin/antibiotic)
Kinds of diseases: measles‐mumps‐chicken pox‐rubella‐
rheumatic‐fever‐diphtheria‐scarlet-fever‐polio‐tuberculosis

b) Asking about Immunizations

 Have you ever been immunized against + (a kind of disease)?

 Have you ever got……+ (a kind of disease) …….immunizations?
Example: Have you ever got polio immunizations?

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Pair Work
Assess your partner current health condition by using question listed above

Assessing 32
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Nursing Notes…

Inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation are examination techniques that

enable the nurse to collect a broad range of physical data about patients.
1. Inspection
The process of observation, a visual examination of the patient’s body parts to
detect normal characteristic or significant physical signs
2. Palpation
Involves the use of the sense of touch. Giving gentle pressure or deep pressure
using your hand is the main activity of palpation
3. Percussion
Involves tapping the body with fingertips to evaluate the size, borders, and
consistency of body organs and discover fluids in body cavities.
4. Auscultation
Listening to sounds produced by the body

Assessing 33
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ACTIVITY – Task 1

Mention what activity you do for each case listed below.

NO ACTIVITY TECHNIQUE

1 Examining patient’s respiratory

2 Inspecting the mouth and throat
Asking patient to stand up to find whether there is
3
scoliosis or not

firmly against the patient’s back. With palm and

Pressing her middle finger of non‐dominant hand

4 fingers remaining off the skin, the tip of the

middle finger of the dominant hand strikes the
other, using quick, sharp stroke

5 Observing the color of the eyes

6 Observing the movement of air through the lungs

7 Testing deep tendon reflexes using hammer

8 Checking the tender areas with her hand

Pressing abdomen deeply to check the condition
9
of underlying organ
Preparing a good lighting, then he observes the
10
body parts

Assessing 34
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 2

What kind of examination technique?

Useful Expressions…

Explaining what you are going to do immediately

 Now I am going to …
 It’s time for me to…
 Now I want to…
press your… + (parts of the body) gently
examine your…+ (parts of the body) gently
artery
cheeks
neck

Assessing 35
 English For The Professional Nurse

Instruction
 Would you…?
 Now I want you to…?
remove + your… wig
put off hairpieces

 Please + rise your eyebrows

frown your forehead
smile
puff your cheeks
shrug your shoulder
flex your neck with chin toward
bend your neck, with ear toward shoulder
take a sip of water from this glass

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Whole class and pair work

 Practice these instructions
 Listen to teacher’s instruction and act them out. Then, practice these in pairs!

1. Raise your eyebrows 6. Shrug your shoulder

2. Close your eyes tightly 7. Flex your neck with chin toward
3. Frown 8. Bend your neck, with ear toward
4. Smile shoulder
5. Puff your cheeks 9. Take a sip of water from this glass

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Pair work
 Make a complete conversation on acts of assessing head, face and neck
 Use the expression above. Then, practice these in pairs!

Assessing 36
 English For The Professional Nurse

atient monitoring can reduce the risk of infection and other

complications, as well as assist in providing for patient comfort.
As a consequence, Smiths Medical has developed a range of products
and systems that will assist your patient monitoring requirements.
 English For The Professional Nurse

Vocabulary…

Pulse rate Beats per minute Bradycardia

Rhythm or regularity Patient’s chart Tachycardia Thread/weak
Tension Normal pulse rhythm Bounding

Useful Expressions…

Medical terms Colloquial expression

Breathlessness, out of breath, short
Dyspnea
of breath, fighting for breath
Expectorate To bring up/cough up phlegm/spit
Expiration Breathing out
Inspiration Breathing in
Respiration Breathing
Sputum Phlegm

Monitoring The Patient 38

 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Explaining the procedures:

 It’s time for me …

 I just want …
 I would like …
 I am going …
to measure your blood pressure
to count your pulse
to check your respiration
to measure your temperature
to put this cuff (around your upper arm)
to insert this (thermometer) into your armpit
to put this (thermometer) into your mouth

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Giving instructions and expressions during the implementation:

 lie down on the couch

 lie flat on the bed

 Would you …
roll your sleeve up

 Would you mind *) Please
give me your right/left hand

 Now, I want you to…
raise your arm

breathe in … breathe out
take a deep breath

 roll yourself into side lying position

Monitoring The Patient 39

 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Nurse’s Response:

 OK, fine. That’s it

 Fine/good
 All is done
 Finished

*) change the following verb into V‐ing from

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Pair Work
 The illustration below show the implementation of checking vital signs
 Choose one picture then, make a conversation exchange and give appropriate
instructions when you want to check patient’s vital signs according to the
illustration
 Take only one kind implementation of vital signs checking

Monitoring The Patient 40

 English For The Professional Nurse

Vocabulary…

Avoid Pus Swollen

Contraindicated Suture Numb
Indicated Sponge Paralysis
Suggest Splint Convulsion
Patch Rash Tightness
Rub Greasy Hazardous equipment

Monitoring The Patient 41

 English For The Professional Nurse

Useful Expressions…

Recommendation

PATTERN EXAMPLE
Should You should take the complete (entire) dose prescribed
Must
Be + required
essential
These tablets contain antibiotic. It is required
important
you to take the complete dose prescribed
have to …
indicated

You’d better take your medicine regularly

Had better + bare
infinitive
Advice I advise you to see a doctor soon
Suggest I suggest you to drink a lot of water

Prohibition

PATTERN EXAMPLE
Should not
Must not You should not drink this antibiotic with milk
May not + …

Should + avoid + ing

Have to + avoid + ing
You should avoid drinking alcohol
Had better not + bare
infinitive

Monitoring The Patient 42

 English For The Professional Nurse

INSTRUCTION CHART 1

WOUND CARE (CUTS, ABRASIONS, BURNS)

1. Keep the area clean and dry
2. Keep wound covered with a clean dressing, change the
dressings daily
3. Keep the injured part at rest and elevate for 12 hours
4. Watch for redness, pus, or increased soreness. Contact
your doctor if this occurs

advised by the emergency physician in … days.

5. Have your wounds checked and your sutures removed as

INSTRUCTION CHART 2

HEAD INJURY
The first 24 hours after a head injury are
the most important, although after effects
may appear much later. It is important that a responsible
person awakens the patient every 2 hours for the first 24
hours and watches for the following symptoms. If any of
these occurs, call your doctor or return to the emergency
department
1. Persistent headache, nausea or vomiting more than twice
2. Weakness, numbness or paralysis of the arm or legs
3. Blood or clear fluid from the ears and nose
4. Blurred vision, unequal pupils (one larger than the other)
5. Convulsion

Monitoring The Patient 43

 English For The Professional Nurse

INSTRUCTION CHART 3

CAST/SPLINT CARE

splint for the first 24 – 48 hours

1. Do not apply any weight or pressure on a new cast or

1. Keep the cast/splint clean and dry

2. Elevate the injured part for 48 hours on pillows above
your heart
3. Do not put foreign objects inside the cast
4. Wiggle your fingers or toes inside the cast every hour
5. If your fingers or toes become extremely swollen, cold,
blue or numb, or the pain increases markedly, loosen the
ace bandage of the splint, or if it cast, call your doctor or
return to the Emergency Department.

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient.

Situation:
A patient has just got a medical treatment in outpatient clinic. Now you have to give
discharge instruction to your patient.
Steps:

home. And you’ll give some advice

1. Greet the patient; tell him/her that after getting the treatment he/she may go

2. Explain the medical suggestions and advices.

Monitoring The Patient 44

 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Nurses see patients more often than other specialists and are in the best
position to monitor them. They look out for any problems and assess the
patient’s progress and response to treatment. Basically, by careful monitoring and
recording, a nurse answers the question: what is happening to this patient?
Monitoring body functions by checking vital signs helps to answer this
question. The vital signs are: body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and

patient’s condition. However, they are not 100% reliable and stable vital signs
respiratory rate. Changes or abnormalities in vital signs indicate changes in the

do not always mean that everything is OK. Bodily fluids, including blood and
urine, can be analyzed, usually in a laboratory. And it is now possible to get
images of what is going on inside the body using technological aids like X-rays
and ultrasound scans. For more detailed information, there are endoscopes which
are used to look inside the body, and biopsies where tissue is removed for
examination.
Some patients with chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and asthma
can self-monitor. They communicate with doctors and nurses by phone and

and the internet. This has major advantages; the patient doesn’t have to keep
online. Patients can also be monitored from a distance using satellite technology

visiting a hospital and it saves a lot of money.

Use the information in the text to complete the sentences with a, b or c!

to…… about……
1. Nurses are in a good position 4. Technological aids give information

a. monitor patients. a. internal organs.

b. specialize. b. bodily fluids.

2. ‘What is happening to this patient?’ 5. An endoscopy gives……

c. get to know their patients. c. vital signs.

is a question which…… a. less information than an X-ray.

a. only nurses can answer. b. more detail than a scan.

6. Self-monitoring is……
b. monitoring helps to answer. c. less information than a biopsy.

3. Stable vital signs mean……

c. nurses must ask.
a. done by doctors and nurses.

b. a change in a patient’s condition.

a. everything is probably OK. b. done at a hospital.

c. something’s definitely wrong.

c. cheap and convenient.

Monitoring The Patient 45

English For The Professional Nurse
 English For The Professional Nurse

Look at the three restaurant advertisements on the following page.

Answer the questions below by writing the letters of the appropriate restaurants (A-C)
in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

Example Answer
It stops serving lunch at 2.30 pm. B

1. It is open for breakfast.

[_____]

2. It is open every night for dinner.

[_____]

3. It is only open for lunch on weekdays.

[_____]

4. It has recently returned to its previous

location. [_____]

5. It welcomes families.
[_____]

6. It caters for large groups.

[_____]

7. It only opens at weekends.

[_____]

Test Your Competence 47

 English For The Professional Nurse

Read the information given in “New Electricity Account Payment Facilities‟

on the following page and look at the statements below (Questions 8-13)
In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet write

TRUE if the statement is true

FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the statement is not given in the passage

Example Answer
You must pay your account by mail. FALSE

8. If you want a receipt, you should send your payment to the Southport address.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]
9. You may pay your account at branches of the Federal Bank.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]
10. You must pay the full amount, instalments are not permitted.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]
11. The Coastside Power Office is open on Saturday mornings.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]
12. You may pay your account by phone using your credit card.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]
13. There is a reduction for prompt payment.
[TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN]

NEW ELECTRICITY ACCOUNT PAYMENT FACILITIES

AVAILABLE FROM') JULY 1998

After 1 July 1998, you may pay your electricity account in any of the following ways:
1. Payments via mail:
(A) No receipt required: (B) Receipt required:
Mail payments to: Mail payments to:
Coastside Power Coatside Power
Locked Bag 2760 PO Box 560
Southport NSW 3479 Nortbridge NSW 3472
2. Agency payments (payments directly to the bank):
Payments can be made at any branch of the Federal Bank by completing the deposit
slip attached to your account notice.
NB: This facility is no longer available at South Pacific Bank branches.
3. Payments directly to Coastside Power Office:
Payments can be made directly to Coastside Power Office at 78-80 Third Avenue,
Northbridge. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Payment may be by personal cheque, bank cheque or cash.

Note: Payments cannot be made by phone.

Test Your Competence 48

English For The Professional Nurse
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Based on student’s identity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Based on student’s identity

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Based on student’s identity

Answer Key 50
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Based on student’s creativity and knowledge

ACTIVITY – Task 2

1. The security to maternity unit

Turn left till you find waiting room then turn right, it is in front of nurse station.
2. The nurse station in ICU to the canteen
From the nurse station, turn right and go down stairs then go straight, it is in
front of NSIU
3. The security to the toilet (between dispensary and radiology)
Pass the entrance and go straight pass emergency room and dispensary, the toilet
is after the dispensary
4. The emergency room to the lift
You just need to go straight without any turn and you will find the lift
5. The polyclinic to the pediatric ward (on the 2nd floor)
From polyclinic, go straight and go upstairs then turn right till you find T
junction and take left side

Turn around from the waiting room then you’ve to go straight and you’ll find it
6. The waiting room to the children playground (on the 2nd floor)

7. The operation room to ICU (opposite the physiotherapy unit)

From the operation room take right side and turn right in the T junction, go
straight and go upstairs then pass through the security, the ICU is after the
security
8. The entrance to the Class 1
You just need to go straight then turn right till you find class 2, class 1 is beside it

Answer Key 51
 English For The Professional Nurse

9. The nurse station (near the lift on 2nd floor) to the laboratory
From the nurse station, take left side and go straight till you find waiting room
you turn right and take left side to go down stairs then go straight till you find
operation room you take right side, the laboratory is in the corner.
10. The emergency room to admission
Turn left and go straight then turn left, the admission is the first room when
you turn left

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences!

1. Walk into / over / through the doors at the end of the corridor.

There’s a sign under / over / at the door.

2. Turn left / away / on after Pathology.

It’s easiest to take the lift up to / on the top / into Surgery.

3.
4.
5. The Pharmacy is the second door on / at / opposite the right.
6. The car park is in front / inside / opposite the main entrance.
7. Go straight at the bottom of / under / towards the stairs.
8. Your ward is by / opposite / next to Physiotherapy.

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Complete the sentences with the words from the list!

1. The pharmacy DISPENSES medicines. transport
2. Take the LIFT to get to the next floor. waste
lift
We use STRETCHERS for patients who can’t sit up.
3. Go along this CORRIDOR and through the doors.
4. dispenses
mortuary
5. RECEPTION is next to the main entrance.
reception
6. Each bed produces 4.5 kilos of WASTE each day.
stretchers
7. Dead patients are taken to the MORTUARY. corridor
8. Porters TRANSPORT heavy equipment.

Answer Key 52
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Translate into communicative English using the words given below!

1. (pain) Saya merasakan sakit sekali di lutut saya
I FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY KNEE
2. (hurt) Pergelangan kaki saya nyeri
MY ANKLE HURT
3. (throb) Kepala saya pusing berdenyut‐denyut
MY HEAD THROB PAINFULLY
4. (itch) Punggung saya terasa gatal
MY BACK ITCHED
5. (injured) Jari tangan saya terluka
MY FINGER IS INJURED
6. (sore) Tenggorokan saya sakit
I HAVE A SORE THROAT
7. (hurt) Sinar yang sangat terang akan menyakitkan mata
BRIGHT LIGHT WILL BE HURT THE EYES
8. (ache) Kaki saya sakit karena terlalu banyak berlari
MY LEGS ACHE BECAUSE OF TOO MUCH RUNNING
9. (pain) Saya merasa sakit disini
I FELT PAIN HERE
10. (painful) Punggung saya terasa sakit sekali
MY BACK IS SO PAINFUL

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient!

Based on student’s creativity

Answer Key 53
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Make a complete conversation to explore the dimensions of symptom!

Based on student’s creativity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Use the information in the text to complete the sentences with a, b or c!

why…… describe……
1. Researchers are trying to find out 4. Medics ask patients for a number to

d. people experience pain differently. d. the kind of pain they have.

f. how often they’re in pain.

e. people feel pain. e. how bad the pain is.

2. Experiments show that……

f. pain is important to people.

to……
5. To describe pain, medics ask children
d. pain is worse for men than women.
e. men can take more pain than d. point to a smiley face.
women. e. think of some numbers.

3. Nurses need to measure a patient’s pain 6. You experience referred pain……

f. children feel less pain than adults. f. say how it feels.

because…… d. only in your internal organs.

d. pain is a problem. e. long after an injury.

f. patients can’t describe it.

e. pain is a symptom. f. in a different place from an injury.

Answer Key 54
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient.

Based on student’s creativity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Writing a symptom report!

Based on student’s creativity

Answer Key 55
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Practice the substitution drill below!

Speaking

ACTIVITY – Task 2

 Make into groups consist of 6 participants

 Cut pictures available in supplementary material below
 Observe their expressions
 Share your observations to each of them
 Show each picture to the class, and tell your observations

Based on student’s creativity

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the text.

You can’t see symptoms.

1. You need signs and symptoms for a diagnosis. [__T__]
2. [__T__]
3. Patients presenting symptoms are either strong, mild or weak. [__F__]
4. Killer diseases can have weak symptoms. [__T__]
5. Non-specific symptoms help a lot with diagnosis. [__T__]
6. Too much information slows up diagnosis. [__F__]

Answer Key 56
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Pair Work
 Interview your partner
 Fill in the blanks with his/her personal demographic data
Based on student’s identity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Pair Work
Assess your partner current health condition by using question listed above

Based on student’s identity

Answer Key 57
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Mention what activity you do for each case listed below.

Based on student’s activity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

What kind of examination technique?

INSPECTION PALPATION

REFLECTS TESTING AUDIOLOGY SERVICES

Answer Key 58
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Whole class and pair work

 Practice these instructions
 Listen to teacher’s instruction and act them out. Then, practice these in pairs!

Speaking

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Pair work
 Make a complete conversation on acts of assessing head, face and neck
 Use the expression above. Then, practice these in pairs!

Based on student’s creativity

Answer Key 59
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Based on student’s activity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Based on student’s activity

ACTIVITY – Task 3

Based on student’s activity

ACTIVITY – Task 4

Based on student’s activity

Answer Key 60
 English For The Professional Nurse

ACTIVITY – Task 1

Make a conversation between a nurse and a patient.

Based on student’s activity

ACTIVITY – Task 2

Use the information in the text to complete the sentences with a, b or c!

to…… about……
1. Nurses are in a good position 4. Technological aids give information

a. monitor patients. a. internal organs.

b. specialize. b. bodily fluids.

2. ‘What is happening to this patient?’ 5. An endoscopy gives……

c. get to know their patients. c. vital signs.

is a question which…… a. less information than an X-ray.

a. only nurses can answer. b. more detail than a scan.

6. Self-monitoring is……
b. monitoring helps to answer. c. less information than a biopsy.

3. Stable vital signs mean……

c. nurses must ask.
a. done by doctors and nurses.

b. a change in a patient’s condition.

a. everything is probably OK. b. done at a hospital.

c. something’s definitely wrong.

c. cheap and convenient.

Answer Key 61
 English For The Professional Nurse

Look at the three restaurant advertisements on the following page.

Answer the questions below by writing the letters of the appropriate restaurants (A-C)
in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

1. It is open for breakfast.

[__C__]

2. It is open every night for dinner.

[__A B__]

3. It is only open for lunch on weekdays.

[__C__]

4. It has recently returned to its previous

location. [__A__]

5. It welcomes families.
[__A__]

6. It caters for large groups.

[__A__]

7. It only opens at weekends.

[__C__]

Answer Key 62
 English For The Professional Nurse

Read the information given in “New Electricity Account Payment Facilities‟

on the following page and look at the statements below (Questions 8-13)
In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet write

8. If you want a receipt, you should send your payment to the Southport address.
[FALSE]
9. You may pay your account at branches of the Federal Bank.
[TRUE]
10. You must pay the full amount, instalments are not permitted.
[NOT GIVEN]
11. The Coastside Power Office is open on Saturday mornings.
[FALSE]
12. You may pay your account by phone using your credit card.
[FALSE]
13. There is a reduction for prompt payment.
[NOT GIVEN]

NEW ELECTRICITY ACCOUNT PAYMENT FACILITIES

AVAILABLE FROM') JULY 1998

After 1 July 1998, you may pay your electricity account in any of the following ways:
4. Payments via mail:
(B) No receipt required: (B) Receipt required:
Mail payments to: Mail payments to:
Coastside Power Coatside Power
Locked Bag 2760 PO Box 560
Southport NSW 3479 Nortbridge NSW 3472
5. Agency payments (payments directly to the bank):
Payments can be made at any branch of the Federal Bank by completing the deposit
slip attached to your account notice.
NB: This facility is no longer available at South Pacific Bank branches.
6. Payments directly to Coastside Power Office:
Payments can be made directly to Coastside Power Office at 78-80 Third Avenue,
Northbridge. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Payment may be by personal cheque, bank cheque or cash.

Note: Payments cannot be made by phone.

Answer Key 63
English For The Professional Nurse
 English For The Professional Nurse

_____________________. 2005. Step Up To IELTS. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.
Bosher, SD. 2008. English for Nursing, Academic Skills (Michigan Series in English for
Academic & Professional Purposes). Michigan: USA
Greenan and Grice. 2009. Oxford English for Careers: Nursing 2: Nursing 2: Student's
Book. Oxford University Press, USA
Grice, Tony. 2011. Oxford for English Careers Nursing 1 Practice File. Oxford University
Press, USA
Herlianita, Risa. 2011. English for The Professional Nurse: Book 1. School of Nursing
Muhammadiyah University of Malang, Malang
Hogue, Ann. 1996. First Step in Academic Writing. New York: Addison‐Wesley
Publishing Company.
Hull, Melodie. 2010. Medical English Clear & Simple: A Practice‐Based Approach to
English for ESL Healthcare Professionals.
Jakeman and McDowell. 2005. Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS 1. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Magnall and Arakelian. 2006. Hospital English: Brilliant Learning Workbook for
International Nurses
Meehan and Grice. 2009. Oxford English for Careers: Nursing 1: Student's Book. Oxford
University Press, USA
Oxford University Press. 2000. Oxford Learners Pocket Dictionary. UK
Pratiwi, Indah. 2011. English for The Professional Nurse: Book 1. School of Nursing
Muhammadiyah University of Malang, Malang
Silvestri, LA. 2006. Saunders Q&A Review for the NCLEX‐RN Examination. Missouri:
Elsevier Saunders.

Answer Key 65
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