MED100 Week 2 Discussion Essays
MED100 Week 2 Discussion Essays
LO 01.02 – Construct and define the word parts for various medical conditions or procedures
LO 02.02 – Explain the meaning of common abbreviations used in medical documentation
Understanding the structure of the human body will allow the medical assistant to know which organ systems could be affecting the patient based on a description of symptoms and their location. Knowing how to interpret, translate, and document the patient complaints on file, will help other professionals gauge further treatments or diagnoses.
Some symptoms can be confused across organ systems. For instance, chest pain could indicate heart disease or gastric reflux. A full understanding of patient symptoms will aid in clarifying which tests should be performed to gain an accurate diagnosis. While seeing a primary care physician (PCP) is always a good place to start, often times the PCP will refer a patient to a specialist once they are suspicious of a specific diagnosis. Specialists are physicians that are skilled in a specific body system and area of medicine.
Gastroenterologist – a physician that specializes in conditions, procedures, and treatment of the GI tract (stomach and intestines)
Cardiologist – a physician that specializes in conditions, procedures, and treatment of the heart
Neurologist – a physician that specializes in conditions, procedures, and treatment of the nervous system
Dermatologist – a physician that specializes in conditions, procedures, and treatment of the skin
onditions and treatment of the mind and mental and emotional health
A few abbreviations related to symptoms are:
CC – chief complaint; not to be confused with lower case cc which stands for cubic centimeters and is often used in measuring fluids
SOB – shortness of breath
Hx – history of
Dx – diagnosis
IBS – irritable bowel syndrome
PE – pulmonary embolism; clot in the lungs
A few terms present in this study are:
esophagogastroduodenoscopy – a visual examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum of the small intestine using an endoscope
hiatal hernia – when the stomach bulges up through the diaphragm
pyrosis – heartburn
PPI – Proton Pump Inhibitor; medication that reduces or eliminates acid production in the stomach
As we have previously discussed and will continue to discuss moving forward, knowledge of the body systems and how they work together for our total function is essential to any profession in medicine. Knowing the parts and how they work will allow for us to better serve our patients. Watch “Human Body 101 | National Geographic” (5:10 min) on the body systems as a summation of the body systems and functions. You will learn these structures and functions in greater detail in courses to come.
While the potential for pathology is a massive list that will not be covered in it’s entirety, it is important to understand some of the common disorders or conditions that you will come into contact with in your career. For this case study below, our patient presents with symptoms that lead to the diagnosis found in this next video.
This video, Heartburn, Acid Reflux, GERD-Mayo Clinic (2:24 min) , explains further about the symptoms present in this case along with the associated diagnosis. You will see the similarities between our patient, Michael, and those discussed in the video. below to learn more about the medical condition GERD.
Resources and References (MED100 Week 2 Discussion Essays)
Mayo Clinic. (2010, April 22). Heartburn, Acid Reflux, GERD-Mayo Clinic. Accessed at: https://youtu.be/TdK0jRFpWPQ
National Geographic. (2017, Decmeber 1) Human Body 101. Accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4MadKPJC0
Prompt
For this discussion assignment, you will need to download and review the patient records by clicking HERE.Preview the document
Create an initial discussion post to discuss the following questions.
What information in the case study helps you understand which organ system is affected?
Pick two abbreviations or terms in this study that you feel are important for a healthcare worker to understand and discuss why you feel they are important. What field of healthcare do you feel will use the two abbreviations or terms the most?
For your peer replies, consider alternative ways that the organ your peer mention could be described in medical documentation. How do you know which organ and disease the record is referring to?
For your citation, you might use articles that show examples of how medical documentation is used as part of medical communication. You can also find articles from experts that suggest what terms you should and should not use.
Your initial and reply posts should work to develop a group understanding of this topic. Challenge each other. Build on each other. Always be respectful but discuss this and figure it out together.
Reply Requirements
You must submit:
1 main post of 150+ words with 1 in-text citation and reference (follow the Institution Writing Guidelines)
2 follow-up posts (replies) of 50+ words
Responses can be addressed to both your initial thread and other threads but must be:
Your own words (no copy and paste)
Unique (no repeating something you already said)
Substantial in nature, which means there has to be some meat to the reply not something like: “Good job, Rasha, your post is excellent.” A substantial post will do one of the following:
Extend the conversation deeper,
Challenge the post being responded to, or
Take the conversation in a career-relevant tangent
Remember that part of the discussion grade is submitting on time and using proper grammar, spelling, etc. You’re training to be a professional—write like it. MED100 Week 2 Discussion Essays.
