这类看病词汇最好在真正用到之前就准备好。它分为普通预约就诊和紧急情况两种场景,用语差别很大。
该去哪里
选错地方会白白耽误好几个小时,而这几个词本身也不太容易分清楚:
| 去哪里 | 适用情况 |
|---|---|
| pharmacy / chemist | 小毛病——感冒、皮疹,咨询、买非处方药 |
| GP(general practitioner) | 你的社区医生,不紧急的问题、开处方 |
| walk-in centre / urgent care | 今天就得看,但不危及生命 |
| A&E(英国)/ the ER(美国) | 只用于严重的、危及生命的情况 |
在英国,药剂师可以免费、无需预约地给出真正的专业建议——这比大多数外来者预想的要快得多,是很好的第一步。
预约就诊
- I'd like to make an appointment, please.
- Is there anything available today?
- It's fairly urgent.
- I'm registered with Dr Nowak.
- Could I have a later one?
- I'm not registered — I'm a visitor. Can I still be seen?
如果你身在国外,提前准备好这几句:I have travel insurance. · Do I need to pay up front? · Could I have a receipt for my insurance?
就诊过程
医生几乎总是用下面这几句里的一句开场:
What seems to be the problem? / What brings you in today? / How can I help?
按照固定的结构回答,而不是讲一段长长的经历:
I've had a sore throat for three days and now I've got a temperature.
接下来医生通常会问:
- How long have you had it?
- Does it hurt when you swallow?
- Are you taking any medication?
- Are you allergic to anything?
- Any other symptoms?
只回答对方问的问题。 英语国家的问诊短小而有条理,先讲一大段背景再说出主要症状,是常见但没什么帮助的做法。
如何描述程度
医生会直接问病情的严重程度,回答也有一套约定俗成的方式:
- On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain? — About a seven.
- Is it constant or does it come and go?
- Is it getting worse?
- What kind of pain — sharp, dull, burning?
- Does anything make it better or worse?
如果你在替别人说话
- It's for my son — he's six.
- She can't explain what's wrong.
- He's been like this since this morning.
医生可能会说的话
- I'll examine you. · Take a deep breath.
- It's nothing serious.
- I'll write you a prescription.
- I'm referring you to a specialist.
- Come back if it gets worse.
- Take one twice a day with food.
- Finish the course, even if you feel better.(关于抗生素的叮嘱)
如果没听懂:Sorry, could you write that down? · How many times a day, sorry?
紧急情况
急救电话号码因国家而异:999(英国)、112(欧盟)、911(美国)。
接线员会按照下面这个顺序提问:
- Which service do you need — ambulance, police or fire?
- What's the address?
- What's happened?
如果可以的话,第一时间清楚地报出地址:一旦通话中断,这是唯一真正重要的信息。
常用表达:
- I need an ambulance.
- Someone has collapsed.
- He's not breathing.
- She's conscious but bleeding.
- There's been an accident.
还有一点值得知道:接线员会要求你保持通话,并可能给出指示。Stay with me 的意思是"不要挂断电话"。
在医院
A&E(英国)/ the ER(美国)—— 急诊科 a stretcher · a ward · a nurse · to be admitted · to be discharged · to be triaged
提前用英语准备好三句话。 慢性病、正在服用的药物、过敏情况。I'm diabetic. I take insulin. I'm allergic to penicillin. 这些恰恰是在紧张状态下最难组织出来的句子,也恰恰是最重要的——值得写在卡片上随身带在钱包里。
紧急呼叫
Operator: Emergency, which service?
Caller: Ambulance, please.
Operator: What's the address?
Caller: Forty-two Bridge Street, flat 3. Forty-two.
Operator: And what's happened?
Caller: My father has collapsed. He's breathing, but he's not conscious.
Operator: Help is on the way. Stay on the line with me.
先说清楚需要哪种服务,再重复一遍地址,然后说明发生了什么——顺序就是这样,而且句子要简短。
自测
下面的测验既涉及普通问诊,也涉及紧急呼叫。