Medical terminology 2012

Introduction to Medical Terminology


Professional Socialization: Learning the Language

Entering the world of nursing is like going to a countrywhere you do not speak the language. It can be unsettling, so you must make a conscious effort to learn. You must Ask for definitions of acronyms and/or words the faculty and others use. You must also study the terminology since a vast amount of medical terminology is used day to day in the nursing profession.

Professional Socialization

As you become more familiar with the terminology and language in the nursing profession, it will roll off your tongue with ease. This process is called professional socialization and it allows you to fit in and communicate with confidence.


“Medical terminology is the professional language of those who are directly or indirectly engaged in the art of healing.” (Frenay and Mahoney, 1998)

Most medical terms have Greek or Latin origins, though some are derived from modern languages, particularly German, French, and English. In general, terms dealing with diagnosis and surgery have Greek origins, whereas anatomical terms have Latin origins. An understanding of the structure of medical terms, and an ability to break down a medical term into its parts helps you get the most out of using a medical dictionary, and makes dealing with medical terminology less challenging than it first appears.


Medical terms are formed from word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and combining vowels/forms, defined below:

Root – the foundation of the word, it can be combined with a prefix or suffix

Prefix – placed before the root to modify its meaning

Suffix – placed after the root to modify and give essential meaning to the root; forms a noun, verb, or adjective

Combining form – root with a combining vowel attached (e.g. lip/o-); o is the most common combining vowel

In “decoding” medical terms, it is best to look first at the meaning of the suffix, then at the meaning of the root or root and prefix.


Example: hyperlipoproteinemia

hyper- (prefix) = excessive

lip (root) = fat

o (vowel used to create a combining form, lipo-)

protein (root) = protein

-emia (suffix) = blood condition

Hyperlipoproteinemia is a blood condition, characterized by an excessive amount of fat and protein.


Example: pericarditis

peri- (prefix) = around

cardi (root) = heart

-itis (suffix) = inflammation

Pericarditis literally means “inflammation around the heart” but the dictionary states that this terms means inflammation of the pericardium (-ium is a suffix meaning tissue), the sac that encloses the heart.


Body Language

Various medical terms refer to divisions of the body, body position and direction, planes of the body, and body cavities.

Examples of these are: epigastric region and lower right quadrant of the abdomen; sacral region of the back; superficial position; efferent direction; horizontal plane; and frontal sinus. It may be helpful to familiarize yourself with some of these terms.


Medical

Terminology:

Prefixes


Medical

Terminology:

Suffixes


Medical Terminology: Root Terms


Medical Terminology: Other Terms that reflect an aspect of a disease/condition:

anatomy – science of the structure of the body; relation of its parts

physiology – science dealing with the function of the body and its parts

etiology – what causes the disease diagnosis – determining what disease therapy – treatment of a disease prognosis – forecast of outcome of a disease signs – objective evidence of a disease; perceptible to the

practitioner symptoms – subjective sensations of the patient


Drug terminology:

brand name – name used for a drug made by a particular company (e.g. Snickers)

generic name – name used for the drug, regardless of which company makes it (e.g. candy bar)

indication – condition for which you are taking the drug contraindication – condition that would preclude your taking

the drug precautions – things you need to watch for when taking the

drug side effects – effects other than the therapeutic effect of the

drug adverse reactions – potentially harmful side effect monograph – information on a single drug


Medical Terminology Resources

Medical Terminology Certificate

Students will gain a basic understanding of medical terminology by reviewing the material and answering the questions within the online Medical Terminology course offered by Des Moines University and available at: http://www.dmu.edu/medterms/

Students may, if they wish, pay $50.00 for a certificate upon course completion.


Medical Terminology Dictionaries

You may find it useful to have some resources at the ready for yourself. The following resources are available online for a fee:

Dorland, N.W. (2011). Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. (32nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Stedman, T.L. (2006). Stedman’s medical dictionary. (28th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Thomas, C. L. (2009) Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary. (21st ed.). Philadelphia: Davis.

The following medical dictionary is available online free of charge:

The Free Medical Dictionary by Farlex: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/


Medical Terminology Books

Building your own library of reference books can also support your learning and be resources throughout your nursing career.

Davis, B.J. (2008). Comprehensive medical terminology. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Erlich, A. & Schroeder, C. L. (2013). Medical terminology for health professions (7th ed.). New York, NY: Delmar, Cengage Learning.

Henderson, B. & Dorsey, J. L. (2009). Medical terminology for dummies. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Chabner, Davi-Ellen. (2012). Medical terminology: A short course. (6th ed.) St. Louis, MO: Sanders/Elsevier.


Online Medical Terminology Information, Tools, Quizzes Prefixes Test - http://www.medword.com/prefixes_test.html List of Medical Roots - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_roots Basic Medical Terminology Quiz

-http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz4508452c228.html Basic Medical Terminology - http://www.tpub.com/content/armymedical/MD0010/ AAMA CMA Practice Exam: Medical Terminology -

http://www.aama-ntl.org/becomecma/practice_term.aspx Ed's Medical Terminology Page - http://www.pathguy.com/medvocab.htm Free Medical Terminology Web Game -

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_vocab_med.htm Medical Terminology Activities -

http://msjensen.cehd.umn.edu/APModules/medterms/ MediLexicon (pharmaceutical and medical abbreviations) -

http://www.medilexicon.com/ Medical Terminology Prefixes (match words, flashcards, concentration games) -

http://www.quia.com

Education

Medical terminology 2012