Hospitals

Unit 1: Video and Photograph

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travel travel

1. According to Doctor Mum, name a situation where you may need to see a doctor.
2. What is happening in the photograph?
3. How would you feel if the person in the photograph were to treat you at a hospital?
4. On a scale of 1 (poor health) to 10 (excellent health) how would you rate your health? Why?
5. When was the last time you were in hospital? What was happening?

An Idiom

Fight a Losing Battle
To try to do something without any hope of success.

Doctors are fighting a losing battle against HIV/AIDS.

Unit 2: Reading Comprehension

I work as a nurse at Gladesville Public Hospital in the emergency department. Most patients that are referred to our ward, are seriously ill. When I see a patient, I ask them to identify the symptoms of their illness, such as chest pains or high temperatures. After a brief examination, some patients are directly admitted into the hospital for treatment, while other patients are given prescription medicines and are allowed to go home. Other patients are directly transported to my department by ambulance from their homes. Sometimes a general practitioner may refer a patient to see a specialist at the hospital if he or she does not know how to treat a patient. Gladesville Hospital is a very busy place, so you need to book an appointment if you are not seriously ill. Otherwise you may end up waiting for quite a long time.

Vocabulary Practice

Nurse - a person who is trained to look after sick people.
Emergency - a sudden crisis that requires immediate attention.
Patients - a sick person seeking medical attention.
Ward - a division of a hospital with patients who need similar care.
Symptoms - a sign that shows that you are sick or ill.
Examination - to carefully examine something.
Admitted - to allow in.
Prescription - a drug that is only allowed when there is written permission from a doctor.
Ambulance - a vehicle for transporting sick people.
General practitioner - a general doctor.
Specialist a medical expert in a particular field.
Appointment - to meeting that is arranged in advance.