UNIT 4

EXAMINING THE PACIENT

1. Read the following text and check the glossary below to translate the unknown words.
Write down other unknown words and try to approximate their meaning:

assessment– evaluare, analiză

diagnostician – diagnostician
perusal – examinare atentă
abnormality/ies =anormalitate
palpation - palpare
mien – înfăţişare, expresie, mină, ţinută, postură, comportament

2. Scan the text above so as to answer the following questions:

1. Why is the patient`s initial examination important?

The patient’s initial examination is considered important because it can lead to an assessment of
his needs and a decision on the early treatment.

2. What should basic information about the patient include?

The basic information about the patient should include names, sex, marital status, age, current
work, former job, retirement status, cultural background and family circumstances.

3. Why does the present examiner need to check the patient`s prior medical examination
sheet?

The present examiner needs to check the patient`s prior medical examination sheet because the
course of the treatment can be influenced by any different variables, such as the subjective
assessment of the previous examiner, or the change in patient`s condition from the last
examination.

4. Why does the examiner need to note the patient`s current medication?

The examiner needs to note the patient`s current medications because it may have some effect on
selection of or precautions in administrating physiotherapy treatments.

5. What things need to be provided when examining the patient?

When examining the patient it is recommended to provide a clean, well ventilated, adequately
warmed area, suitable coverings for the patient, the position of the examination couch or table in
relation to the lighting and verbal confidentiality.

6. What testing devices does the examiner use?

The examiner uses small testing devices such as a tape measure, a pin, a goniometer, a reflex
hammer, and some cotton wool, test tubes containing hot and cold water.
7. What should the examiner observe while escorting the patient to the examination area?

While escorting the patient to the examination area, the examiner can to observe patient’s ability
to walk unaided, the type of gait abnormalities, the general mien and posture.

8. When can we say that questioning the patient has been successful?

We can consider the patient’s questioning a success when we produce maximum information
with the minimum of questions.

9. What procedures are to be used when palpating the patient?

The procedures to be used when palpating the patient are: place more of the hand than it is
needed in contact with the area to be examined, lift your palm a little to reduce the contact, so
that only the finger pads are touching firmly enough; fingers should be straight so that nails are
unlikely to be in contact.

10. What should be done if the first examination takes longer than expected?

If the examination takes longer than expected, the examiner should complete only part of the
tasks and conclude the examination at a further session.

4. Choose from among the meanings of the following polysemantic words the one that has
been used in the text “Examining the Patient”:

1. examination means:
a) written exercises, oral questions or practical tasks, set to test a candidate’s knowledge and
skill;
b) physical inspection of a patient or parts of his body, in order to verify health or diagnose
disease;
c) the formal interrogation of a person on oath (an accused or a witness) by a lawyer in a
lawcourt.

2. discharge means:
a) an official permission for (sb) to leave, after he has carried out a duty (discharge a soldier,
a patient, release a prisoner from custody);
b) unloading (cargo) from a ship
c) firing (a gun), launching flying weapons (arrows)

3. background means:
a) part of a view, scene or description that forms a setting for the chief objects, people;
b) information that is needed to understand a problem;
c) a person’s social class, education, training or experience;
d) a low level of sound, lighting whose purpose is to be an unobtrusive or appropriate
accompaniment to something else, such as a social activity, conversation or the action of a film.
4. device means:
a) a machine or tool adapted for a special purpose (time-saving device, safety device, an
explosive device etc);
b) a particular pattern of words, figures of speech used in literature to produce a certain effect
on the reader;
c) a written, printed or painted design or figure, used as a heraldic sign, emblem, trademark by
a noble family;
d) a plan or plot, esp. a clever or evil one; a scheme, trick.

5. Write your own contexts in which the polysemantic words above, except for the
version of your choice, are used with other meanings. You can use the following
expressions:
1.
Regulatory examination – control din partea unei institutii guvernamentale

discharge from a group/ a team- a da afara dintr-un grup/echipa

discharge sentence – respingerea unei condamnari
a discharge of electricity – descarcare de electricitate

3 -Background photo – poza de fundal

-Background sounds – sunet de fundal
Professional background – activitate profesionala

Traditional device – instrumente tradionale (de exemplu telegram sau scrisoarea)

Memory device – instrument de stocare a memoriei
Literary device – procedeu literar
Security device – instrument pentru securitate

6. Match each of the meanings below to one of the seven polysemantic words in the
box:
1. tongue
2. head
3. patient
4. bottom
5. foot;
6. spine
7. nerve
8. patient
9. head
10. tongue
11. foot;
12. bottom
 13. nerve
14. spine
15. head
16. tongue
17. bottom
18. spine
19. nerve;
20. head.

7. Write your own contexts for the different meanings of the polysemantic words above. You can
make use of the following syntagms and expressions:
a.
 a patient worker – muncitor perseverant

b.
 sharp tongue – limba ascutita
 loosen (someone's) tongue – a da drumul al gura
 bite/hold (one's) tongue – a fi sau a face liniste
 on the tip of (one's) tongue – a uita, a sta pe varful limbii

c.
 headland – promotoriu
 head (headache)– durere de cap
 a price on (one's) head – a pune recompense pe capul cuva
 to head off –a se indrepta spre

d.

Foot-note – note de subsol

 one foot in the grave – pe moarte
 to go on foot – a pleca pe jos, la plimbare
e.
 to bottom out – a atinge minimul posibil, a atinge fundul
 bottom-up approach – abordare de jos in sus
 bottomless pit – sac/sant/gaura fara fund
 the bottom price – ultimul pret
 at bottom – in realitate

f. hill spine – creasta unei coline

  Spine-tailed – coada ascutita
 curvature of the spine – curbura coloanei

g.
 to get on (someone's) nerves – a enerva pe cineva, a aprovoca
 to have the nerve – a avea cutezanta de a face ceva
 an attack of nerves – nervozitate
 nervous breakdown – cadere nervoasa
 nervous system – sistemul nervos

9. Translate into English, using the new vocabulary:

1. Recomandarea unui program de exerciţii terapeutice nu se poate face fără o examinare

amănunţită a pacientului.
The recommendation of a therapeutic exercise program cannot be performed without a
thorough examination of the patient.
2. Orice informaţii cu privire la datele personale ale pacientului, la un diagnostic anterior şi
medicamentaţie se pot dovedi extrem de importante în recomandarea terapiei ulterioare.
Any information related to the patient's personal data, preior to the diagnosis, and to
medication may prove to be extremely important for the future therapy recommendation.
3. Pe toată durata examinării pacientul trebuie să se simtă relaxat, protejat, fiind asigurat de
confidenţialitatea discuţiilor sale cu terapeutul.
During the examination, the patient should feel relaxed, protected, also assured by the
confidentiality of his discussions with the therapist.
4. Terapeutul poate sesiza în mod indirect anumite caracteristici motrice ale pacientului,
prin simpla observare a posturii sale corporale, a ţinutei generale şi a mersului acestuia.
The therapist can indirectly notice some of his patient's motor skills, by simply observing
his body posture, general gait and walking.
5. Palparea pacientului şi testarea gradului său de mobilitate sunt indicii clare în stabilirea
afecţiunii prezente şi indicarea tipurilor de exerciţii corespunzătoare.
Patient palpation and mobility testing are clear indications in establishing the present
condition and in indicating the appropriate types of exercises.