EMST 110 Medical Terminology CH07.pptx

Chapter 7 Medical Terminology National EMS Education Standard Competencies Medical Terminology Uses foundational anatomic and medical terms and abbreviations in written and oral communication with colleagues and other health care professionals. Introduction Paramedics must develop a strong working k...

Chapter 7 Medical Terminology National EMS Education Standard Competencies Medical Terminology Uses foundational anatomic and medical terms and abbreviations in written and oral communication with colleagues and other health care professionals. Introduction Paramedics must develop a strong working knowledge of medical terminology. – Used to describe patient care, including: Medical history Assessment results Treatment Outcomes Introduction You should understand – Origin of medical terms (words) – Components (parts) – Guidelines for forming words Incorrect use can cause harm to a patient or loss of a patient’s trust. Introduction For effective communication and documentation, you must comprehend: – – – – Key terms Acronyms Symbols Abbreviations Introduction Understanding medical terminology means: – Breaking down each word into separate components and having a working knowledge of the parts – Learning accepted terms in your local area – Determining if your emergency medical services (EMS) systems have lists of pre-approved terms Have a working knowledge of common slang terms. Introduction To expand your vocabulary: – Download the medical terminology app. – Carry a field guide or documentation handbook. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Origins Understanding the origins of medical terms helps you decipher the meanings. – Most medical terms have Greek or Latin origins. Words referring to diseases are derived from Greek words. Words referring to anatomic structures are derived from Latin words. Origins Origins Eponyms – Names of diseases, devices, procedures, or drugs based on the person who invented, discovered, or first described them “Diesel engine” named for inventor Rudolf Diesel Origins Eponyms (cont’d) – Sometimes appear in the possessive form Hodgkin’s disease Hodgkin disease Origins Eponyms (cont’d) – Examples McBurney point Foley catheter Babinski reflex Crohn disease Cesarean section Levine sign Apgar score Origins Homonyms – Pairs of words that are pronounced almost the same way Ileum versus ilium Dysphagia versus dysphasia – Incorrect pronunciation can lead to serious medical errors. Origins Antonyms – Pairs of word roots, prefixes, or suffixes that have the opposite meaning of another word. Origins Synonyms – Pairs of word roots, prefixes, or suffixes that have the same or almost the same meaning. Components of a Medical Term Medical terms are made of distinct parts that perform specific functions. How the parts of a term are combined determines its meaning. Components of a Medical Term Components that comprise medical terms: – Prefixes – Suffixes – Word roots – Combining vowels Components of a Medical Term Changing or deleting any portion of a term can alter its content. Accurate spelling is essential. – Hyperglycemia versus hypoglycemia Components of a Medical Term Prefixes – Appear at the beginning of a word – Usually describe location or intensity – Change the meaning of the medical term by describing what, how, why, or when of the root Cutaneous versus subcutaneous Components of a Medical Term Prefixes (cont’d) – Learn to recognize a few commonly used medical prefixes Prefix hypo- (low) plus word root volumen (volume) plus suffix -emia (blood) = hypovolemia Prefix hypo- plus word root glyc/o (glucose) plus suffix -emia = hypoglycemia Components of a Medical Term Numerical prefixes – Used to indicate Number of sides, limbs, or sensory organs affected (eg, “monocular vision”) Time (eg, octogenarian) Components of a Medical Term Suffixes – Appear at the end of words – Usually indicate: Procedures Conditions Diseases Parts of speech – lip- (fat) plus -ase = lipase Components of a Medical Term Word roots – Main part or stem of a word – Conveys the essential meaning – Frequently indicates a body part Components of a Medical Term Word roots (cont’d) – Add or change a prefix or suffix to change the meaning of the term. – Consider the context of a word before assigning its meaning. The same word root may have different meanings in different fields of study. Components of a Medical Term Colors – Several word roots describe color. Components of a Medical Term Combining vowels – Connects word root to suffix or other word form – Often an o – Used when joining: A suffix that begins with a consonant Another word root Components of a Medical Term Combining form: A word root, prefix, or suffix with an added vowel (combining vowel) – Gastromegaly – Word root is gastr– Gastr/o + megaly – Stomach + irregular enlargement Components of a Medical Term If the suffix begins with a vowel, a combining vowel is not needed. – Example: Gastric – Gastr + -ic Components of a Medical Term Guidelines for adding combining vowels to word roots – Use before a suffix that begins with a consonant (eg, cyt/o + logy) – Use to join other word roots (gastr/o/enteritis) – Do not use before a suffix that begins with a vowel (eg, gastritis, not gastroitis) Components of a Medical Term Common combining forms and vowels: – Cardi/o + logy = cardiology (study of the heart) – Neur/o + logy = neurology (study of the nervous system) Compound Words Words that contain more than one word root – Example: Osteoarthritis – Osteo (bone) + arthr (joint or joints) + -itis (inflammation) – Osteoarthritis = inflammation of the bone joints Plural Endings Apply these rules – Sometimes you add an s (lung to lungs) – Words ending in: -a change to -ae (vertebra to vertebrae) -is change to -es (diagnosis to diagnoses) -ex or -ix change to -ices (apex to apices) -on or -um change to -a (ganglion to ganglia, ovum to ova) -us change to -i (bronchus to bronchi) Topographic Anatomy Superficial landmarks of the body that serve as guides to the structures beneath – Landmarks make up the body’s topography. – Familiarize yourself with landmarks to provide a thorough assessment. Topographic Anatomy Imagine the body in the anatomic position. – – – – Person is standing facing you. Arms at his/her sides Palms facing forward Thumbs point away from the body This position is a shared reference point. Anatomic Planes and Axes of the Body Anatomic plane – Imaginary flat surface dividing the body horizontally and vertically into sections Axis – An imaginary line that divides the body equally and creates a point of rotation Anatomic Planes and Axes of the Body Body can be divided along 3 main axes. – Coronal plane – Transverse plane – Sagittal plane Midsagittal plane divides body into equal halves. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Anatomic Planes and Axes of the Body 3 axes along which the body can be divided: – Anteroposterior axis: Runs perpendicular to the coronal plane – Longitudinal axis: Runs perpendicular to the transverse plane – Horizontal axis: Runs perpendicular to the sagittal plane Anatomic Planes and Axes of the Body Planes and axes help to: – Identify the location of internal structures. – Understand the relationships between and among organs. Cross section Longitudinal section Specific Areas of the Body Many body areas have specific names. Familiarize yourself with body regions to: – Communicate effectively with other professionals – Help you break down other terms Specific Areas of the Body Example: Sternocleidomastoid Combination of sterno-, cleido-, and -mastoid If you understand the roots, you can locate the origin and insertion of this neck muscle. Specific Areas of the Body Specific Areas of the Body Body Cavities Contain various organs and other structures Can be grouped into – Dorsal cavities (posterior) – Ventral cavities (anterior) Body Cavities Dorsal cavities – Cranial cavity: Contains the brain – Spinal cavity: Surrounds the spinal cord Body Cavities Ventral cavities – Thoracic cavity Heart, lungs, and great vessels – Abdominal cavity Digestive and endocrine organs – Pelvic cavity Digestive organs and female reproductive organs Body Cavities © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Directional Terms Directional terms – Describe relative positions of body parts and imaginary anatomic divisions – Use to describe the location of pain or injury. Directional Terms © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Directional Terms Directional terms occur in pairs – Superior and inferior – Lateral and medial – Proximal and distal – Superficial and deep – Anterior and posterior – Palmar and plantar – Apex Directional Terms Superior and inferior – Superior: Nearer to the head – Inferior: Nearer to the feet – Also describe the relationship of one structure to another Example: The knee is superior to the foot and inferior to the pelvis. Directional Terms Lateral and medial – Lateral (outer) Body parts that lie farther from the midline – Medial (inner) Body parts that lie closer to the midline Directional Terms Proximal and distal – Describe the relationship of any two structures to each other Proximal: Closer to the body Distal: Farther from the trunk/nearer to the free end of the extremity Example: The elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand. Directional Terms Superficial and deep – Superficial: Closer to or on the skin – Deep: Farther inside the body and away from skin Directional Terms Anterior and posterior – Anterior (or ventral) Refers to the belly side of the body – Posterior (or dorsal) Refers to the spinal side of the body Directional Terms Palmar and plantar – Palmar (or volar) surface Front region of the hand (the palm) – Plantar (or volar) surface Bottom of the foot Directional Terms Apex (plural apices) – Tip(s) of a structure – Example: Apex of the heart is the bottom (inferior portion) of the ventricles. Movement and Positional Terms Movement terms – Useful in explaining mechanism of injury – Range of motion: Full distance a joint can be moved Movement and Positional Terms Movement terms (cont’d) – Flexion = Bending of a joint – Extension = Straightening of a joint © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. – Adduction = Motion toward the midline – Abduction = Motion away from the midline Movement and Positional Terms A patient’s neck can be in one of several positions when the patient is lying supine. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Movement and Positional Terms Prefix hyper- is added to the terms flexion or extension to indicate mechanism of injury. – Hyperflexion: Maximum flexion or flexion beyond normal range of motion – Hyperextension: Maximum extension or extension beyond the normal range of motion Movement and Positional Terms Wrist injuries can be described using these terms – Supination: Turning the palms toward the sky – Pronation: Turning the palms toward the ground Movement and Positional Terms Rotational deformities – Internal rotation: Turning the anterior portion of an extremity toward the midline – External rotation: Turning an extremity away from the midline Other Directional Terms Bilateral: Appears on both sides of midline – Eyes, ears, hands, feet – Structures inside the body also appear on both sides of midline (lungs and kidneys). Unilateral: Only one side of the body – Spleen is only on left side of body. Ipsilateral: Same side of body Contralateral: Opposite side of body Other Directional Terms Abdominal cavity is divided into 4 equal quadrants. – Right upper quadrant – Left upper quadrant – Right lower quadrant – Left lower quadrant © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Abdomen can also be divided into 9 regions. Data from Shier, D.N., Butler, J.L., and Lewis, R. Hole’s Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Tenth Edition, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2009. Other Directional Terms Prefixes Indicating Position, Direction, and Location Specialized prefixes can describe: – Movement of the body or something within it – Location of an organ, foreign body, or mass – Surgical procedures and medical instruments used to perform them – Directions of radiation or ultrasound waves Position of the Patient Use specific terms to describe position. – Prone: Lying face down – Supine: Lying face up – Fowler position: Patient is sitting straight up, with knees bent or straight. – Semi-Fowler position: Patients sits at a 45° angle. Position of the Patient Recovery position – Helps maintain a clear airway in an unresponsive patient and prevents aspiration of vomitus – Left lateral recumbent position © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. © Jones & Bartlett Learning. Position of the Patient Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Shorthand used for communication – Developed for speed Do not trade speed for accuracy. – Use only commonly understood acronyms and abbreviations to minimize errors. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Acronyms – Form shortened words from the initials of several words to produce a new word or phrase – Example: “Urban Search and Rescue” becomes USAR. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols An abbreviation is considered an acronym if it’s pronounced as a word. – HIPAA (“Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act”) is pronounced as “hippa.” – DEA is not an acronym because it’s spelled out like “D-E-A.” Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Abbreviations – Take the place of words to shorten documentation – Ensure that abbreviations you use are consistent with those approved in your EMS area. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Error-prone abbreviations – Serious errors occur when an abbreviation is not interpreted as intended. – Some agencies publish “do not use” lists. – Some agencies limit or ban use of abbreviations. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Do not use trailing zeros or naked decimals. − “5 mg” not “5.0 mg” − “0.5 mg” not “.5 mg” Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Symbols – Sometimes used as a shortcut – Use only accepted symbols to avoid confusion or errors. – Learn which abbreviations are acceptable in your service area. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Medical Terminology Related to Pharmacology Become familiar with terminology related to medications and medication administration. – Prefixes commonly used in medication administration – Metric conversions used in drug calculation – Selected medical abbreviations associated with pharmacology Medical Terminology Related to Pharmacology Medical Terminology Related to Pharmacology