Health Care
The Doctor
Medicines
Nutrition
Lisa Leiby, RN
 Learning
 Students
Objectives
will list 3 reasons for visiting a
doctor for a checkup
 Students will recognize emergency health
care situations and when to call 911
 Students will know where they can find
local programs and facilities they can
contact for health care
 Tools required: handouts, access to
internet, healthy lunch/snacks
 Health
Care System
 Hospitals,
Medical Clinics, Public Health
and Emergency Departments
 Doctors,
Nurse Practitioners, Physician
Assistants
 Nurses,
Workers
Dieticians, Pharmacists, Social
 Different
Kinds of Health Care
1) Regular Checkups – Well Visits

Health or Medical History Form (p. 30 handbook)
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Physical Examination
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Check Yes or No
Specific dates/year of illnesses, immunizations
Height and Weight and Blood Pressure
Heart
Lungs
Eyes/Ears/Throat/Mouth
Tests: blood, urine, (female) pap smear, (male) prostate
Staying Healthy

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

Diet
Exercise
No Smoking
Immunizations
2) When you are sick


Symptoms
 Tell doctor how you feel and for how long
Contagious Diseases
 You get sick from other people’s germs
 Good Hand Washing!
 Hospitals

and grocery stores have hand wipes
Making an Appointment (Role play)
3) Emergency Visits – 911
Chest pain
 Difficulty Breathing
 Car Accident
 Drowning
 Snake bite
 Unconscious


Use any phone to call 911 immediately
Tell what the emergency is
Answer all questions
If you do not understand, say “I speak Spanish”,
wait for someone who speaks your language
 DO NOT HANG UP the phone
 Wait with the sick person until the ambulance
arrives
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 Learning
Medical Words
 Vocabulary

Words
Pronunciation: Tap the Stress (p. 7 Teacher’s
Guide)
 Activities:
Health Care Vocabulary Bingo
(www.bingocardcreator.com)
 Hospital Signs and Symbols (p. 12 handbook)
 Phone Call: 211 or access website @
www.flairs.org
 Community Health Care Resources (handout)
 www.healthyroadsmedia.org/index.htm

 Conversation
1: (Role play)
Operator: 911. What is your emergency?
 Parent: My boy fell out of the tree.
 Operator: Is he conscious?
 Parent: Yes.
 Operator: Is he hurt?
 Parent: I think he broke his leg.
 Operator: An ambulance is on its way.

 Conversation






2: (Role play)
Information Desk: May I help you?
Patient: Yes, where do I go for an X-Ray?
Information Desk: Do you have an
appointment?
Patient: Yes.
Information Desk: You need to go to
Radiology. Go past the gift shop and turn
right. Look for the X-Ray sign. You will need
to sign in at the desk.
Patient: OK. Thank you.
Lisa Leiby, RN
 Learning
 Students
Objectives
will identify 2 helpful ways to
prepare for a doctor’s appointment
 Students will know 3 important
questions to ask the doctor
 Students will describe 8 common
symptoms clearly
 Tools required: b/p machine or cuff and
stethoscope, handouts, access to
internet, healthy lunch/snacks
 Things To Do Before Your Doctor’s Visit
 Write down the medicines you take or
bring the medicines with you
 Write down all of the health problems you
have ever had and the symptoms you are
feeling now
 Practice describing your symptoms in
English
 Bring bilingual book
 Ask a friend or family member to go with
you
 Request interpreter
 The
Doctor’s Office Visit (Role play)
Sign in
 Tell clerk your name and time of your
appointment
 Fill out Health History Form
 Wait in the waiting room until the nurse calls you
to take your:
 Height
 Weight
 Blood Pressure (take B/P from each student)
 Nurse will ask you to undress and wear a gown
 The doctor will knock on the door and come in
with the nurse or medical assistant
 Tell the doctor why you are there and describe
your symptoms
 Examination


Vocabulary Words
Pronunciation – Tap the Stress (p. 27 Teacher Guide)
 Describing Symptoms/Health History (p. 31 Teacher’s
Guide)


Activities
Conversation: Information Desk or phone
 Math: Understanding Blood Pressure (p. 28 Teacher’s
Guide)
 Grammar: (p. 29-30 Teacher’s Guide)
 Feel
 Have and When
 After and Have You Ever
 Practice Describing Symptoms (p.23-27 handbook)



www.eslpod.com –“Describing Symptoms to the Doctor”
Conversation with the Doctor

Conversation 1: (Role play)
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Doctor: I’m Dr. Robbins. How are you today?
Patient: OK, thank you.
Doctor: What can I do for you today?
Patient: I feel dizzy and I have a headache.
Doctor: How long have you been feeling dizzy and have
had a headache?
Patient: For a week.
Doctor: Do you have a history of high blood pressure?
Patient: Yes.
Doctor: Are you taking any medications for your blood
pressure?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Is there anyone in your family with high blood
pressure?
Patient: Yes, my mother and my grandmother.
 Conversation






2: (Role play)
Doctor: You have mild hypertension. I’m going
to write you a prescription for medication.
Patient: Excuse me, but I don’t understand.
Doctor: Hypertension means high blood
pressure. Your blood pressure is a little too high,
so I want you to take some medicine to bring
your blood pressure to a normal level.
Patient: OK, thank you for explaining that.
Doctor: You’re welcome. I want to schedule a
follow-up appointment in 6 weeks to see if the
medicine is working.
Patient: OK, thank you.
Lisa Leiby, RN
 Learning Objectives
 Students will understand the difference
between over-the-counter and prescription
medicines
 Students will know how to find and
understand 6 pieces of information on a
prescription label
 Students will explain how to take medicines
from reading the directions on the label
 Tools required: variety of empty
prescription/OTC bottles/pkgs, tsp/Tbsp,
syringes for demonstration, handouts,
access to internet, healthy lunch/snacks
 Different
Types of Medicine (p. 39-40)
 Prescription
 Over The Counter (OTC)
 Different
Kinds of Medicine (p. 37)
 Tablets, liquid, powder, drops, injection,
inhalant, ointment, capsules
 Hands-on
demonstration with variety of
medicines
 Medicine
 Over
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Labels
the Counter (OTC)
Name of the medicine
What is the medicine for
How and when to take the medicine
How much of the medicine to take
Side effects
Warnings
Expiration date (end)
 Medicine
Labels
 Prescription
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Name of medicine
Dose = how much medicine to take
Prescription – Rx #
Pharmacy phone number
Date when you receive medicine
Number of refills
Your name and your doctor’s name
 How

to measure and take medicine
All medicine labels give directions:

How to take the medicine
 Oral - mouth
 Rectal - rectum
 Topical – skin
 Optical – eyes
 Inhalant - lungs

How much medicine to take

1 tablet, 2 tablets, ½ tablet

1 capsule, 2 capsules

1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons, ½ teaspoon

How often or when to take the medicine

Once a day – 8 am
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Twice a day – 8 am and 5 pm
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Three a day – 8 am, 5 pm, 8 pm
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Every 4 hours – 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm

Every 6 hours – 6 am, 12 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm
 Taking

Medicine – tablets, capsules, liquid
Vocabulary Words
Pronunciation – Tap the Stress
 (p. 43 Teacher’s Guide)


Activities
Grammar: How much, How many, How often
 (p. 44 Teacher’s Guide)
 Hands on:
 Reading Medicine Label
 Measuring Liquid Medicines
 Side Effects
 Warning Labels (p. 45)


www.reepworld.org/englishpractice/health/medicine/index.htm
 Conversation

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
1: (Role play)
Patient: What is my problem?
Doctor: You have an infection. The medicine I
give you will kill the infection.
Patient: What do I need to do?
Doctor: Start taking the medicine right away.
Take it for the entire 14 days, even if you think
you are feeling better.
Patient: Why is that important for me to do that?
Doctor: The medicine is an antibiotic. You need
to take all of it so the infection will not return.
 Conversation
2: (Role play)
Pharmacist: How may I help you?
 Patient: I need to fill this prescription, please.
 Pharmacist: OK. Here you are. Do you have any
questions?
 Patient: Yes. How do I take this medicine?
 Pharmacist: Take 2 capsules twice a day.
 Patient: When should I take them?
 Pharmacist: Take 2 capsules in the morning and
2 capsules in the evening.
 Patient: OK. Thank you.

Lisa Leiby, RN
 Learning
 Students
Objectives
will explain 2 ways how
nutrition affects your health
 Students will describe the function of 5
important nutrients, and name foods
that contain them
 Students will identify 4 important pieces
of information on a food label
 Tools required: variety of food packages
with food labels, handouts, access to
internet, healthy lunch/snacks, recipes
 How
the body uses food to stay healthy
 Good nutrition helps the body to: (p. 52)
Grow
 Stay Strong
 To Have Energy
 Fight Sickness and Disease

 All
foods contain 3 important nutrients: (p.53-57)

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats

Fiber, Vitamins, Minerals
 Healthy
Eating (p. 57-58)
Variety
 Eat 5-9 Servings of Fruits/Vegetables Every Day
 Less fat
 Less sugar

 Food Labels and Nutrition
 Vocabulary Words

Facts
Pronunciation – Tap the Stress (p. 59 Teacher’s
Guide)
 Activities
Comparing Labels/Choose Healthier Foods
1. Serving size: (p. 62)
2. Calories
3. Total Fat
4. Carbohydrates/Fiber
 Grammar: Words that Mean the Same Thing (p.63)
 Hands on: Looking at Food Labels and Grouping
 Healthy Weight
 www.choosemyplate.gov
 www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

 Eat
Healthy Foods
 Keep a Healthy Weight
 Exercise
 Don’t Smoke
 Get Regular Checkups
 Take Care of Stress
 www.healthyroadsmedia.org
1)
Spinach - high in Vitamin K – good for
bones and vision
2)
Curry – turmeric – decreases brain aging,
cancer and boosts metabolism
3)
Tomatoes – Lucopein – great antioxidant
and decreases skin damage while in sun
4)
Almonds – Vitamin E – good for
coordination and decreases heart disease
5)
Dark Chocolate – great antioxidant –
decreases blood pressure and heart disease