HSC 1531 - Medical Terminology I

Health Science Department

Credit(s): 2
Contact Hours: 32
Effective Term Spring 2016 (510)

Course Description

This course is an introduction to medical terms and abbreviations utilized by health care professionals in patient care settings. It introduces the study of prefixes, suffixes, and word roots of medical terms and their meaning, spelling, and pronunciation. Topics also include medical vocabulary and the terms that relate to the anatomy, physiology, pathological conditions, and treatment of selected systems. Upon completion, students should be able to pronounce, spell, and define medical terms as related to selected body systems and their pathological disorders.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will be able to describe the purpose and principles of medical language by
    1. describing how medical terms are formed and translated.
    2. summarizing the origin of medical terms.
    3. spelling and/or pronouncing medical terms and abbreviations presented in the course.
    4. applying the rules used to write singular and plural forms of medical terms.
    5. identifying singular and plural endings and provide written examples and/or correct pronunciation.
  2. The student will be able to describe different types of health records and their purpose by:
    1. using abbreviations associated with healthcare facilities, patient care, and prescriptions.
    2. explaining different types of health records.
    3. distinguishing terms associated with various body systems in the context of electronic health records (EHRs).
    4. identifying various reports found in health records.
    5. describing the SOAP method of documentation.
    6. translating the Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) terms associated with various body systems.
  3. The student will be able to apply medical terms to the different anatomic positions, planes, and directions of the body into everyday medical language by:
    1. demonstrating the anatomical position of the body.
    2. describing the division of the body along three different planes.
    3. using medical terms pertaining to the body as a whole, to communicate and document accurately in any health care facility.
    4. defining basic medical terms related to body structures and regions, directions and positions, and colors.
    5. listing and defining the main directional terms used in anatomy.
    6. labeling body cavities, the quadrants, and the abdominopelvic regions of the body.
  4. The student will be able to define body systems by:
    1. naming the body systems and the common organs found in each.
    2. describing the functions of each body system.
    3. explaining common diseases, conditions, and procedures related to each body system.
    4. applying the correct medical terms to the anatomy and physiology of the body as a whole.
    5. recognizing common clinical tests and diagnostic procedures related to various body systems.
    6. using medical terms from each body system to communicate verbally and in writing with accuracy and precision.
  5. The student will be able to define the meaning of prefixes, suffixes, word roots, combining vowels, and combining forms used in analyzing and defining medical terms by:
    1. linking word elements of prefixes, suffixes, word roots, combining vowels, and combining forms together to construct medical terms.
    2. providing examples of word roots, combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes.
    3. identifying the parts used to build medical language.
    4. dividing medical words into their component parts.
    5. identifying commonly used prefixes that describe location.
    6. identifying prefixes of color, number, and measurement.
    7. explaining what combining vowels and combining forms are and why they are used.
    8. using suffixes to build medical terms that pertain to medical specialties, symptoms, and diseases.
    9. providing examples of how suffixes are used to convert terms into nouns, adjectives, and plurals.
  6. The student will be able to use medical abbreviations associated with various body systems by:
    1. assigning appropriate abbreviations for diagnostic, laboratory, and x-ray procedures.
    2. interpreting symbols and abbreviations used in diagnosis and treatment.
    3. recognizing medical abbreviations used by various services in a healthcare facility.
    4. selecting the appropriate abbreviation and matching it to the correct medical term.
    5. interpreting abbreviations used when referring to a body system.
    6. listing the common signs, symptoms, diagnosis, medical examination, clinical tests, and treatments of various system diseases.
  7. The student will be able to define basic terms related to drugs and their actions by:
    1. defining abbreviations related to drugs and prescriptions.
    2. listing common routes for drug administration.
    3. explaining the difference between generic drugs and brand name drugs.
    4. interpret a prescription correctly by identifying various abbreviations.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 78% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 8/84 DBT 3/21/853 Effective Session 19851 State 5/85 Effective Session 19861 DBT 10/17/89 Effective Session 19892 3 YR C & I Review 1993-94. C&I 4/16/96, Effective Session 19961 3Year Review 2000. C&I 9/25/01, DBT 10/17/01; Eff 20012. Flex delivery 2001. C&I 9/23/01, BOT 10/21/03, Effective 20041. C&I 9/28/04, BOT 11/16/04, Effective 20042(0345). 3 Year Review 2008. CTS 1101 chgd by State CGS 1060 Eff 0400 Prereq # change: CGS 1060 chg to CGS 1070 Effective 20102(0435). C&I Approval: 09/28/2004, BOT Approval: 11/16/2004, Effective Term: Spring 2014 (480).
C&I Approval: 04/24/2015, BOT Approval: 06/16/2015, Effective Term: Spring 2016 (510)

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