English for Nurses
Lesson 17: Gastroenteritis
abdominal crampsdehydration
diarrhea
fecal specimen
fecal-oral route
food poisoning
intestines
nausea
norovirus
oral rehydration solution
rotavirus
stomach flu
stool specimen
tummy
vomiting
watery diarrhea
Activity 1: Match the terms on the left to their correct meanings on the right.
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Medical term:
oral means ‘mouth’
Activity 2: Label the intestines.
cecum stomach appendix anus
rectum colon small intestine
Read the text and answer the questions.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and large intestine. The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhea. A person may have diarrhea three or more times within a 24 hour period.
The causes and treatment of gastroenteritis can differ between children and adults. In England, the two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults are the norovirus and food poisoning.
The infection stops water from being absorbed into your body. This is why the most common symptom of gastroenteritis is watery diarrhoea. Dehydration or a lack of water in the body is another problem caused by gastroenteritis. It is very important to replace fluids that are lost from the body because of gastroenteritis.
Activity 3:
1. What are the most common symptoms of gastroenteritis? ____________________
2. What are the main causes of gastroenteritis in the UK? ________________________
3. What does the infection do to the body? ___________________________________
4. What is dehydration? ___________________________________________________
Activity 4: Listen and complete the text about norovirus.
colder sips common dehydration
fevers gastroenteritis hygiene watery
What is norovirus?
Norovirus is a small virus that is very (1) ______________. It can cause (2) ______________. It can also cause abdominal cramps and fever. It was originally called Winter Vomiting Disease because it seems to occur in the (3)______________ months of the year.
What are the symptoms?
Most people have abdominal cramps and feel bloated. They often have a sudden need to vomit and may also have (4)____________ diarrhea. They may also have a fever, headaches and feel generally unwell. One of the serious consequences of diarrhea and vomiting is dehydration.
What is the treatment?
It is important to drink lots of fluids to prevent (5) _____________. This is especially important if people vomit a lot or have a lot of diarrhea. There is no specific treatment for norovirus. Simple painkillers can be taken to reduce (6) _______________ and to control aches and pains.
People who have the norovirus do not need to go to the doctor unless they become dehydrated. Adults need around 1.2 litres of fluid a day to prevent dehydration. Children should be given (7)__________ of fluid at regular intervals during the day. Fruit juice should be avoided as it tends to worsen diarrhea.
How to prevent infection with norovirus
Simple (8) _______________ like hand washing is the most important way to prevent infection with norovirus. It is especially important after visits to the toilet and before putting the hands near the mouth, for example when eating. This is because the infection follows the fecal-oral route.
Activity 5: Watch the video on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGV1cSOXJZI
Number the words in the order you hear them. The first one is done for you.
dehydrated
food poisoning
go to the toilet
juice or sodas
oral rehydration solution
stool specimen
symptoms
tummy cramps
vomiting
watery diarrhea - 1
Activity 6: Match the questions and answers.
1. Does your child have watery diarrhea? a Yes he has. Poor thing. He feels so ill.
2. Has he been vomiting as well? b It can last from one day to a week or so.
3. Do you have tummy cramps at all? c Yes, I do. They are very painful.
4. Can I have juice or sodas? d Yes. He goes to the toilet every hour, sometimes more.
5. How long will the diarrhea last? e No. It would be better to have oral rehydration solution.
Activity 7: Make a dialogue using the prompts.
Nurse: child / have watery diarrhea?
Parent: Yes. He goes to the toilet every hour, sometimes more.
Nurse: vomiting as well?
Parent: Yes. Yes he has. Poor thing. He feels so ill.
Nurse: not very nice / diarrhea.
(to the young boy) have tummy cramps ?
Boy: Yes, I do. They are very painful.
Nurse: symptoms start?
Parent: It started about two days ago. He went out to a restaurant with his cousins.
They all have vomiting and diarrhea now.
Nurse: sounds /food poisoning.
(to the young boy) enough to drink /so don’t become dehydrated.
Boy: Can I have juice or sodas?
Nurse: No. better / oral rehydration solution.
Make /powder up / boiled water. give / sips / rehydration drink.
Patient: I see. How long will the diarrhea last?
Nurse: last / one day to a week or so.
lasts too long / doctor / send off/ stool specimen/ check / other types of infections.
Patient: OK. Thank you.
Young boy: Yeah, thank you.
Medical terms: RE- and DE-
Re- means ‘again’ e.g. rehydrate means ‘ hydrate (put back water) again’
De- means ‘remove’ e.g. dehydrate means ‘ take out water’
Activity 8 (extension) - Make a Public Health poster which explains what happens to the body when a child has gastroenteritis. Show the treatment and advise when the child should go to the doctor. Remember, gastroenteritis is more serious in children and the elderly.
