answersLogoWhite

0

As with all technology, there must be a clear and precise way for nurses and doctors to communicate. It is a universal term of reference and highly useful for pinpointing or describing a location or procedure.

It really is so that there is NO mistake when doctors are conveying information about a patient to each other. For example, to a lay person, "fever" may mean that the person feels hot, or that the temperature is above 100. But no one knows, really--it can cause a lot of confusion. It's so indistinct.

WIth medical terms, things are very clear, so that even a surgeon in France can read a scientific journal article and know exactly what the author means. That way, also, medicine can be global and that the medical societies can share ideas and innovations.

A bit more:

Since every thing in a patient's medical records must be documented, from s/s (signs and symptoms), to the patient's medical hx (history), to the final dx (diagnosis) and tx (treatment), it saves the doctors and all other medical personnel a considerable amount of time to use a universally accepted form of medical terminology. And, even more importantly, it's safer when all medical professionals, from doctors and nurses, lab techs to radiology techs, etc. use the same universal medical terminology so they don't have to try to guess what was ordered or charted on the patient's medical records.

It's also used in writing prescriptions; pharmacists and pharmacy techs use the same terminology when filling prescriptions. It's more accurate (and safer!) when ALL medical professionals use the same terminology. Some examples on prescriptions:

q.d. = every day

b.i.d. = twice a day

t.i.d. = three times a day

q.i.d. = four times a day

hs = at bedtime

po = to be taken by mouth

ASA = aspirin

ANSWER:

Almost every medical specific field uses specific terminology, mostly based on Latin and Greek. The main reason is to avoid confusion and to be specific in the least amount of words or explanation. Unfortunately, plain English is not always so plain or term specific and compared to Latin, there is a tendency to have many terms for one description when Take the word ""RIGHT"". It could mean opposite of left, OR it could mean correct.

ANSWER:

A lot of it has to do with the fact that all medical books, until only very recently, were written in Latin. And, before that, they were all written in Greek. Medical terminology also developed its own rules for combining word parts, including the use of aponyms, acronyms, and descriptive terms using modern language.

There is no universal medical terminology and every country and language has its own version, though they are all still based in Latin and Greek, for Western medicine. This is sometimes a problem when medical people from different parts of the world communicate, that is why there is a World Medical Symposium every ten years when medical people from around the world get together and work on 'universal' terminology. At the rate that medical terminology is growing, there is very little chance that this effort will ever catch up with it all. Like I tell my students on day one of class, the most important thing about any language is to get the message across, and sometimes, even doctors and nurses have to resort to plain language to describe something that is important if they forgot the medical term or it does not yet exist for what they need to communicate.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

How is medical terminology used in communication?

The reason for using medical terminology instead of conversational language is because conversational language have different meanings for words and phrases. In medicine it is very important to be able to understand what is being said/written. Medical terminology used Latin language because it is a dead language and will never change which means the meaning of medical terms will always be the same. There is less confusing then using conversational language which changes from day to day.


Why is medical terminology important to a medical assistant?

Without medical terminology a medical assistant would not know what their colleagues are talking about when they give you information on a patient, they would not be able to write in a chart and would not have an overall basic understanding in medicine, this is the basis of the language in medicine, that's why it is essential. It is one of the important language people in the medical facilities should learn as without it, communication and the every day process of the facility just wont work.Medical assistants, as well as many other disciplines that is in the medical field, use medical terminology in documenting in the patient's medical records, in medical reports to the tending physician, in filling out many forms required by Medicare, Medicaid, and private medical insurance companies, etc. They also use this to communicate with other medical professionals. The reason for using medical terminology instead of conversational language is because conversational language have different meanings for words and phrases. In medicine it is very important to be able to understand what is being said/written. Medical terminology used Latin language because it is a dead language and will never change which means the meaning of medical terms will always be the same. There is less confusing then using conversational language which changes from day to dayThey use the terminology for charting patients condition's communicate with doctors and pharmacists. It is extremely important to know medical terminology when working in the medical field. Medical assistants, as well as many other disciplines that is in the medical field, use medical terminology in documenting in the patient's medical records, in medical reports to the tending physician, in filling out many forms required by Medicare, Medicaid, and private medical insurance companies, etc. They also use this to communicate with other medical professionals. The reason for using medical terminology instead of conversational language is because conversational language have different meanings for words and phrases. In medicine it is very important to be able to understand what is being said/written. Medical terminology used Latin language because it is a dead language and will never change which means the meaning of medical terms will always be the same. There is less confusing then using conversational language which changes from day to day


How do licensed practical nurses use medical terminology?

All nurses, as well as many other medical disciplines, use medical terminology in documenting in the patient's medical records, in medical reports to the tending physician, in filling out many forms required by Medicare, Medicaid, and private medical insurance companies, etc. They also use this to communicate with other medical professionals. The reason for using medical terminology instead of conversational language is because conversational language have different meanings for words and phrases. In medicine it is very important to be able to understand what is being said/written. Medical terminology used Latin language because it is a dead language and will never change which means the meaning of medical terms will always be the same. There is less confusing then using conversational language which changes from day to day.


What does 'one' mean in medical terminology?

"One" has the same meaning in medical terminology and in lay language.


What is the opposite of medical terminology?

lay language


What does resembling mean in medical terminology?

Resembling has the same meaning in medical terminology as in lay language: looking like.


What does color mean in medical terninology?

"Color" has the same meaning in medical terminology and in lay language. "Calor" means "heat" in medical terminology.


What does 2 mean in medical terminology?

The number 2 has the same meaning in common language and medical terminology. It is the sum of one plus one.


What is the medical term meaning uterine contractions?

Uterine contractions have the same name in medical terminology and lay language. The medical terminology combining form meaning uterine contractions is toco-.


What is perception in medical terminology?

Perception in medical terms has the same meaning as in lay language: ability to sense something.


What has the author Betty Jones written?

Betty Jones has written: 'Language Exercise for Aduits, Level H' 'Tg Lang Exer Review 1995' 'Blood and Lymphatic Systems, Module 9 (Comprehensive Medical Terminology)' 'Oncology, Module 21 (Comprehensive Medical Terminology)' 'Nervous System, Module 8 (Comprehensive Medical Terminology)' 'Language Exercises for Adults Level B' 'Language Exercises for Aduits, Level H' 'Pharmacology, Module 22 (Comprehensive Medical Terminology)'


What is hiatus in medical terminology?

In medical terminology, a hiatus refers to a gap, opening, or a passage that allows one structure to pass through another. For example, the esophageal hiatus is an opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes.