Doctor’s Orders Doctors Running, Carts Zooming, Orders Being Shouted Left And Right - What Is Really Going On?
On “ER” and “Chicago Hope,” medical terms are quickly barked and bandied about and are sometimes incomprehensible to our untrained ears. But thanks to a dose of expert advice from technical consultants, writers from prime-time to daytime soaps know when it’s time to script “Get a blood gas!”
We asked the pros to clue us in on the most-used terms and phrases. Here’s a primer to help you through your next show or your next real-life emergency room visit.
“GIVE ME AN AMP OF D 50 AND POINT EIGHT OF NARCAN.”
The patient was probably found in an “altered mental state” such as a drug overdose. The ampul (vial) of 50 percent dextrose is given in case of low blood sugar. The .8 milligrams of Narcan is an antidote for heroin and other narcotics. Both are given intravenously.
“TYPE AND CROSS SIX UNITS.” Draw blood, type it and match the type with six units of the same type from the blood bank for transfusion.
“CLEAR!” This means you should stand clear - particularly away from metallic bed frames and rails - as a medical team prepares to defibrillate, or restore normal heart beat, via brief electric shock. The warning is necessary because there is enough electricity in the defibrillator to damage a person’s heart.
“LET’S TUBE ‘EM.”
Place an endotracheal tube into the mouth, through the vocal cords and into the trachea or windpipe (the process is called endotracheal intubation). Then a balloon is inflated to make a seal so the patient can be helped to breathe.
“HE’S GOT A PNEUMOTHORAX.”
The patient has a collapsed lung.
“GET THE CRASH CART.”
Get the medical supply cart equipped for patients with cardiac and respiratory arrest.
“MVA WITH ALTERED LOC.”
A motor vehicle accident victim with an altered level of consciousness. This could be a concussion (bruise on the brain) or a much more serious condition such as bleeding inside the brain.
“SHE’S GOT BILATERAL TIBFIB FRACTURES.”
Patient has broken both the tibia and the fibula (that would be the leg bones below the knee) on both legs.
“WE HAVE TO CRACK THE CHEST.”
If done in the ER, the physician makes a foot-long incision between two ribs on the left side to gain access to the heart.
If done in the OR, the physician uses a bone saw to cut through the breastbone in preparation for openheart surgery.
“LET’S PUT HIM ON BYPASS.”
Get ready to put the patient on a heart-lung machine.
“PUT A SWAN-GANZ IN.”
Insert a catheter through the subclavian vein (below the collarbone) or the internal jugular (in the neck) to assess heart function.
“SHE’S GOT A RUPTURED AORTIC ANEURYSM.”
The main artery that arises from the heart has ruptured.
“HANG SOME BLOOD.”
Get ready to transfuse blood.
“GET AN AMP OF EPI AND AN AMP OF ATROPINE.”
Give epinephrine and atropine - two drugs to treat cardiac arrest.
“GET ‘EM PREPPED FOR SURGERY.”
Shave the patient or give him medications to get ready for surgery.
“HE’S TACHIN’ AWAY AT 140.”
The patient has tachycardia, a fast heart rate that in this case is 140 beats per minute. A normal heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute.
“GET A BLOOD GAS.”
Take a blood sample from an artery - usually at the wrist - to compute the blood level of oxygen and carbon dioxide and the pH of the blood.
“LET’S PIT THIS BABY OUT.”
Administer Pitocin, a hormone given intravenously to stimulate uterine contractions.
“SHE PROMED.”
The woman had premature rupture of her membranes. The bag of waters broke too early and the unborn baby is at risk for infection.
“WHAT’S THE APGAR?” Apgar scores, taken at one minute and five minutes of life, reflect the general health status of a newborn, including how well the baby is moving and breathing and other parameters. Perfect score is 10; many healthy babies score 9.
“WE’VE GOT A BOA.”
A woman is giving birth in the hospital lobby or in a car, known medically as a birth out of asepsis (or in non-sterile conditions).
“HE’S BLEEDING OUT.”
Hemorrhaging is very severe and the patient is bleeding to death.