Here is some essential vocabulary for nurses and medical professionals working in an English-speaking context. Each word is shown with its part of speech and meaning, while an example sentence shows the word in context.
| word part of speech | meaning | example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| abnormal adj | not normal for the human body | This amount of weight loss is abnormal for women your age. |
| ache noun/verb | pain that won’t go away | I can’t sleep because my knees ache in the night. |
| acute adj | quick to become severe/bad | We knew the baby was coming right away because the woman’s labour pains were acute. |
| allergy noun allergic adj | a body’s abnormal reaction to certain foods or environmental substances (e.g. causes a rash) | Your son is extremely allergic to peanuts. |
| ambulance noun | emergency vehicle that rushes people to a hospital | We called the ambulance when Josh stopped breathing. |
| amnesia noun | a condition that causes people to lose their memory | I can’t remember the accident because I had amnesia. |
| amputation noun amputate verb | permanent removal of a limb | We had to amputate his leg because the infection spread so quickly. |
| anaemia noun anaemic adj | occurs when the body doesn’t have enough red blood cells | I have low energy because I am anaemic. |
| antibiotics noun | medication that kills bacteria and cures infections | My throat infection went away after I started the antibiotics. |
| anti-depressant noun | medication that helps relieve anxiety and sadness | The anti-depressants helped me get on with life after Lucy died. |
| appointment noun | a scheduled meeting with a medical professional | I’ve made you an appointment with a specialist in three week’s time. |
| arthritis noun | a disease that causes the joints to become swollen and crippled | My grandmother can’t knit anymore because the arthritis in her hands is so bad. |
| asthma (attack) noun | a condition that causes a blockage of the airway and makes it difficult for a person to breathe | I carry an inhaler when I run because I have asthma. |
| bacteria noun | a disease-causing organism | To prevent the spread of bacteria it is important that nurses wash their hands often. |
| bedsore noun | wounds that develop on a patient’s body from lying in one place for too long | If you don’t get up and take a walk, you will develop painful bedsores. |
| benign adj | not harmful (not cancerous) | We’re hoping that the tests will show that the lump in your breast is benign. |
| biopsy noun | removal of human tissue in order to conduct certain medical tests | The biopsy ruled out a number of illnesses. |
| blood count noun | the amount of red and white blood cells a person has | You will be happy to know that your blood count is almost back to normal. |
| blood donor noun | a person who gives blood to a blood bank or other person | Blood donors have to answer questions about their medical history. |
| blood pressure noun | the rate at which blood flows through the body (high/low) | High blood pressure puts you at risk of having a heart attack. |
| brace noun | a device that holds injured body parts in place | You will probably always have to wear a brace on your ankle when you jog. |
| breech adj | position of an unborn baby in which the feet are down and the head is up | We thought it was going to be a breech birth, but the baby turned himself around. |
| broken adj | a bone that is divided in two or more pieces as a result of an injury | We thought it was just a sprain, but it turned out his leg was broken. |
| bruise noun bruised adj | injured body tissue that is visible underneath the skin | The woman was badly bruised when she came into the emergency room. |
| Caesarean section, C-section noun | procedure that involves removing a baby from its mother through an incision in the woman’s lower abdomen | The baby was so large that we had to perform a Caesarean section. |
| cancer noun | disease caused by the uncontrollable growth of cells | There are many different options when it comes to treating cancer. |
| cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) noun | restoring a person’s breath and circulation | You saved your brother’s life by performing CPR. |
| cast noun | a hard bandage that is wrapped around a broken bone to keep it in place | My leg was in a cast for graduation. |
| chapel, chapeline noun | a place where loved ones can go to pray for a patient’s recovery; a priest who visits patients in the hospital | If you want a place to pray, the chapel is on the third floor. |
| chemotherapy noun | type of treatment used on cancer patients | My mother has already had three rounds of chemotherapy. |
| chickenpox noun | a virus commonly contracted by children, characterized by itchy spots all over the body | It is best to get chickenpox as a child so that you don’t get it worse as an adult. |
| coroner noun | a person who determines the cause of death after a person dies | We only call the coroner if we think a death is suspicious. |
| critical condition noun | requiring immediate and constant medical attention | You can’t see her right now; she’s in critical condition. |
| crutches noun | objects that people with injured legs or feet use to help them walk | I’d rather hop on one foot than use crutches. |
| cyst noun | a sac in the body-tissue filled with fluid (sometimes diseased) | We’re going to remove the cysts just to be on the safe side. |
| deaf adj | unable to hear | The accident left the patient both deaf and blind. |
| deficiency noun | a lack of something necessary for one’s health | The tests show that you have an iron deficiency. |
| dehydrated adj | in need of water | It is easy for the elderly to become dehydrated in this heat. |
| dementia noun | loss of mental capacity | It is hard to watch a loved one suffering with dementia. |
| diabetes noun | type of disease typically involving insulin deficiency | People with diabetes have to constantly check their blood sugar levels. |
| diagnosis noun | medical explanation of an illness or condition | The doctor would prefer to share the diagnosis with the patient himself. |
| discomfort noun | experiencing pain | This pain medication should relieve some of your discomfort. |
| disease noun | a medical disorder that is harmful to a person’s health | I understand that this disease runs in your family. |
| dislocated adj | when a bone is temporarily separated from its joint | You will have to wear a sling because of your dislocated shoulder. |
| emergency noun | a medical problem that needs immediate attention | It is important that children know which number to dial in case of an emergency. |
| ER (emergency room) noun | the hospital room used for treating patients with immediate and life-threatening injuries | The child was rushed into the ER after he had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting. |
| external adj | on the outside | This cream is for external use only. Do not get it near your ears, eyes, or mouth. |
| false negative noun adj | a test that incorrectly comes back negative | We had two false negative pregnancy tests, so we didn’t know we were having a baby. |
| family history noun | medical background of a person’s family members | The doctor was concerned about my family history of skin cancer. |
| fatal adj | causing death | The doctor made a fatal error when he wrote the wrong prescription. |
| fever noun feverish adj | higher than normal body temperature | He is very feverish, and his temperature is near danger point. |
| flu (influenza) noun | many types of respiratory or intestinal infections passed on through a virus | People who have the flu should not visit hospital patients. |
| fracture noun fractured adj | broken or cracked bone | Your wrist is fractured and needs a cast. |
| germ noun | a micro-organism, especially one that causes disease | Flowers are not allowed in the ward to avoid the risk of germs being brought in. |
| genetic adj | a medical condition or physical feature that is passed on in the family | The disease is part genetic and part environmental. |
| growth noun | a ball of tissue that grows bigger than normal, either on or under the skin | That growth on your shoulder is starting to worry me. |
| heart attack noun | instance in which blood stops pumping through the heart | People who smoke are at greater risk of having a heart attack. |
| HIV noun | the virus that infects the human T-cells and leads to AIDS | HIV can be passed down from the mother to her fetus. |
| hives noun | bumps that appear on the surface of the skin during an allergic reaction | I broke out in hives after I ate that potato casserole. |
| illness noun ill adj | general term for any condition that makes a person feel sick for a certain period of time | Her illness went away when she started eating better. |
| immune system noun | the parts of the body that fight diseases, infections, and viruses | You can’t have visitors because your immune system is low. |
| immunization noun immunize verb | an injection that protects against a specific disease | Babies are immunized three times in their first year. |
| incision noun | cut in the body made during surgery | I had to have stitches to close the incision. |
| inconclusive adj | unclear | We have to do more x-rays because the first ones were inconclusive. |
| infant noun | young baby | The nurse will demonstrate how to bathe an infant. |
| infection noun infected adj | diseased area of the body (viral or bacterial) | The wound should be covered when you swim to prevent it from becoming infected. |
| inflamed adj | appearance (red and swollen) of an injured body part | My right ankle was so inflamed it was twice the size of my left one. |
| injury noun | damage to the body | Her injuries were minor; just a few cuts and bruises. |
| intensive care unit (ICU) noun | section of the hospital where patients get constant attention and doctors rely on specialized equipment | She will remain in the ICU until she can breathe on her own. |
| internal adj | under the skin, inside the organs | The doctors will be monitoring her for any internal bleeding. |
| itchy adj | feeling discomfort on the skin’s surface | If you are allergic to this medication your skin will get red and itchy. |
| IV noun | a tube that pumps liquids and medication into a patient’s body | The toddler was so dehydrated that the doctor decided to get him on an IV. |
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