Real-Life Communication
You're a medical lab technician. You work in a medical testing laboratory.
It's your job to get testing samples from the patients.
This often
involves taking blood samples from a patient. But you can't just go over and
poke a needle in somebody's arm! You have to explain what you're doing and
why.
A tech also has to make sure that the patient has followed all
the "pre-test instructions." These are instructions people have to follow
before they give a sample. For example, some blood samples have to be taken
first thing in the morning before the patient has breakfast. A tech has to
make sure the patient hasn't eaten anything -- or else the test is useless.
A tech finds out this information by asking questions.
Today you've
got a patient who needs some blood tests. He's not happy about being poked
with a needle. That's because he already had some blood taken for tests earlier
in the week. He doesn't understand why he had to come in again. He wonders
why you didn't do all the tests on the blood he already gave.
You explain
that regular blood tests are important for him. That's because he's taking
a certain type of medication. The only way the doctor can tell it is working
is by having a blood test done. The test you will be doing is called the prothrombin
time test. It's a common test done for patients on anticoagulant therapy.
The
patient looks confused. Obviously, he doesn't really understand what you're
saying. You decide you'd better give him a full explanation of the procedure.
You go get your procedure book and look up "anticoagulants" and "prothrombin
time" tests.
Read the following paragraphs. Then write out a summary
of the patient's condition. Also explain how anticoagulants and prothrombin
therapy help keep him healthy.
Throbic
Blood
clot formation (blood coagulation) and inflammation are closely linked natural
processes employed by the body to protect itself against injury. When these
processes are excessively or inappropriately activated, they themselves can
result in significant tissue injury and disease.
The formation of a
blood clot, or thrombus, is a normal vascular repair mechanism that can cause
thrombotic disease if it is activated to an abnormal extent. Such a condition
may cause vascular diseases. Coronary artery disease and heart attack, two
thrombotic conditions, are treated with surgical procedures or drugs or both,
such as clot-dissolving agents or anticoagulants.
Prothrombin Time
A
physician will order a prothrombin time test to monitor the effectiveness
of the patient's anticoagulant therapy. The related blood tests are necessary
to ensure the anticoagulant is effective over a period of time. The tests
will show if the anticoagulant is too strong, in which case excessive bleeding
should follow -- or if the anticoagulant is too weak, in which case clotting
may ensue.
Explain to the patient why he needs regular
blood tests.