Nursing Assistant Certification Course

Week 2: Medical Terminology

Duration: 3 hours

I. Basic Medical Terminology (1.5 hours)
   A. Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
      1. Common medical roots and their meanings
         Example: "Cardio-" for heart and "Nephro-" for kidney
      2. Common medical prefixes and their meanings
         Example: "Hyper-" for above or excessive and "Hypo-" for below or insufficient
      3. Common medical suffixes and their meanings
         Example: "-itis" for inflammation and "-ectomy" for surgical removal
   B. Combining Forms and Medical Terms
      1. Creating medical terms by combining roots, prefixes, and suffixes
         Example: "Gastroenteritis" - inflammation of the stomach and intestines
      2. Analyzing and breaking down complex medical terms
         Example: "Hypothyroidism" - a condition characterized by an underactive thyroid gland

II. Abbreviations and Symbols (1 hour)
   A. Common Medical Abbreviations
      1. Frequently used abbreviations in medical documentation
         Example: "BP" for blood pressure and "CVA" for cerebrovascular accident
      2. Importance of accuracy and clarity when using abbreviations
   B. Standard Medical Symbols
      1. Recognizing and interpreting medical symbols
         Example: The "Rx" symbol for prescriptions and the "@" symbol for "at"
      2. Risks associated with misinterpretation of symbols and best practices

III. Anatomical Positions and Directions (0.5 hours)
   A. Anatomical Position
      1. Definition and description of the standard anatomical position
         Example: Standing upright with arms at the sides and palms facing forward
      2. Importance of the anatomical position as a reference point
   B. Anatomical Directions
      1. Directional terms and their meanings
         Example: "Anterior" for front, "Posterior" for back, "Superior" for above, and "Inferior" for below
      2. Using anatomical directions to describe body structures and locations
         Example: The heart is located "posterior" to the sternum and "anterior" to the spine.

By completing Week 2, students will have gained a foundation in medical terminology, enabling them to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals and better understand patient medical records. This knowledge will serve as a building block for future lessons and clinical experiences.