key definitions

arrhythmia

when the heart is not beating in the proper rhythm

biopsy

a small sample of body tissue safely removed for microscopic analysis

bleep

an electronic pager normally carried by hospital staff, that allows anyone in the hospital to be contacted quickly by any member of staff

capacity

the ability of a patient to make decisions about their healthcare, which is formally assessed on admission to hospital 

• a patient may have the capacity to make one decision but not the capacity to make another 

chronic disease

a disease that is not normally curable so is instead managed over a patient’s life, such as diabetes, hypertension, and rheumatoid arthritis

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

a chronic progressive lung disease, almost exclusively the result of a long-term history of smoking cigarettes (with exceptions)

closed question

a question that normally has a very limited number of responses, normally used by doctors when focusing on the details of a clinical problem, e.g. ‘is the pain worse on movement?’

comorbidities

diseases that are occuring simultaneously in a patient, that are often chronic but not necessarily related

• elderly patients are more likely to have multiple comorbidities

consultant

a senior doctor whom has completed the training pathway for their chosen specialty

Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR)

a legal document signed by both doctor and patient stating that in the event of a medical emergency, namingly a cardiac arrest, no attempts at resuscitation are made, with the aim to prevent further suffering to the patient

electrocardiogram (ECG)

a recorded pattern of the electricla activity of the heart, whichc an be used to identify probelms with it, ushc as heart attacks or arrhythmias

foundation training

the first compulsory training pathway for all newly qualified doctors.

• it is organised over 2 years and comprisibg of three 4-month rotations per year in different specialties

• an optional third foundation year is also now available to trainees

General Medical Council (GMC)

the UK regulatory body for doctors and publisher of guidelines outlining recommended medical practice with the aim to protect patients and optimise patient care

• all doctors must have a GMC registration to lawfully practice medicine in the UK

General Practitioner (GP)

a community-based generalist doctor, normally the first point of call for diagnosis and treatment of mild to moderate illness

• GPs have historically been called ‘family doctors’

History (of Presenting Complaint)

the patient’s account of their presenting problem.

the history is normally the patient’s own description of their problem but is guided by the clerking doctor with a mixture of open and closed questions

holistic

the concept of treating the ‘whole’ patient:

• managing and treating in terms of disease and the wider impact of the disease on their physical, mental and social well-being

• recognising the patients’ own expectations and priorities for healthcare

hospice

a type of tertiary care specialist facility that focuses on caring for patients with chronic, and often terminal, conditions where the focus is on managing symptons rather than cure

• some patients are inpatients based on hospice ward, while others only visit during the day for specialist treatments that cannot be carried out by primary care services

mammogram

a radiographical image of the breast tissue

Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)

a team of healthcare professionals with a variety of different roles and inputs in the care of the same group of patients.

• multidisciplinary management of patients allows specialist input on all aspects of patient care

National Health Service

the government-funded public health service in the UK

it was founded in 1948 by Aneurin Bevan, the NHS was formed on the premise that it would meet the health neds of anyone, would be free at the point of entry, and based on clinical need rather than the ability to pay

open question

prerequisite

a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist

resuscitation

the medical interventions used to restore a person's vital functions, such as breathing and heartbeat, when they have stopped or become severely compromised, often through procedures like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)