Instructions for Medical Translators at Hospital Bautista

1. Before seeing patients, introduce yourself to the person you are translating for (usually the doctor) and explain the translation process to them.
2. Introduce yourself and the doctor to the patient and give a short description of your roles (doctor, translator).
3. Position yourself in a triangle formation with the patient and doctor.
4. Repeat exactly what each person says in the first person – do not say “she says,” “he said,” etc.
1. If it is a question simply translate the question: ex. “Do you have ___?”
2. If the person says “I have” translate as “I have” not “she says she has”

Anatomical Terms

Abdomen abdomen

Ankle tobillo

Arms brazo

Back espalda

Bladder vejiga

Blood sangre

Bone hueso

Bowels intestinos

Brain cerebro

Breast seno

Chest pecho

Ear oido

Elbow codo

Face cara

Finger dedo

Foot pie

Gallbladder vesicular

Hands manos

Head cabeza

Heart Corazon

Hip cadera

Kidney rinon

Knee rodilla

Leg pierna

Liver higado

Lungs pulmones

Mouth boca

Muscle musculo

Neck cuello

Pancreas pancreas

Pelvis pelvis

Penis pene

Prostate prostata

Rectum recto

Rib Costilla

Sinus senos

Spine espina

Skin piel

Stomach estomago, barriga

Teeth dientes

Throat garganta

Urine orina

Uterus utero, matris

Vagina vagina

Common Medical Symptoms and Signs

cough tos

congestion congestacion/flema

cold gripe

fever fiebre/calentura

nausea nausia/sentir para vomitar

vomit vomito

diarrea diarea

constipation constipación/estreñimiento/no puede hacer pupo

pain with urination dolor con urinaria

skin rash alergia/roncha/granos

vaginal discharge flujo de vagina/secrecion vaginal

headache dolor de cabeza

chest pain dolor de pecho

abdominal pain dolor abdominal

stomach pain dolor en el estomago

neck pain dolor de cuello o cerebro

back pain dolor en la columna

swelling hinchado

bruise/bump golpe

bump pelota

ulcer ulcera

paresthesia ardor

itch picazon

scratch rascandose

urinary urinario

cramps calambres

dizziness mareos/vertigo

Medical Diagnoses

Bronchitis bronquitis

Pneumonia pulmonía

Asthma asma

Allergies alergia

Skin infection infeccion en la piel

Parasites/Worms parasitos

Gastritis gastritis

Gallstones calculo hepatico

Gall bladder vejiga (de la hiel)

Liver higado

Apendicitis apendicitis o apendix

Urinary stones calculo urinario

Urinary tract infection infeccion urinaria

Hernia hernia

Concussion concusion cerebral

Hypertension/high blood pressure presion alta/hipertension sanguinea

Diabetes azucar/diabetes

Heart attack infarto/ataque cardiaco/de corazon

Stroke infarto cerebral

Epilepsy epilepsia

Seizures convulciones

Pregnancy embarazada

Fungus hongos

Vaginal infection infeccion vaginal

Migraine migrana

Common Questions the Doctor will ask (the translator can write how he/she would say each question in Spanish)

1. How long have you had these symptoms?

2. When did the symptoms start?

3. Does it come and go, or is it always there (ex. pain)?

4. Is there anything that makes it better or worse? (ex. certain foods, walking, resting)

5. Show me where the worst pain is.

6. When does (the symptom) come? (ex. after eating, at night, in the morning)

7. When is it the worst? Is there a time of day that (the symptom) is worse?

8. Is the child acting normally? Eating normally? Urinating normally? Having normal bowel movements?

9. Did you have an accident or trauma?

10. When did you last eat or drink?

11. Have you ever had an operation?

12. Have you seen a doctor for this before?

13. Did you lose consciousness?

14. When was the last time you had a bowel movement?

15. How often do you have bowel movements?

16. Is your stool normal, hard, or soft?

17. Have you taken any medicine for your sumptoms?

18. Have you lost weight?

19. Have you/are you using any kind of contraception?

20. When was your last menstrual period? Was it normal for you?

21. Are your menstrual periods regular?

22. How many times have you been pregnant?

23. Were all your deliveries vaginal, or did you have a cesarean section?

24. Were all your children born at term? Were any born preterm?

25. When did your contractions start? How often are you having them?

26. Can you feel the baby moving?

27. Have you had vaginal bleeding?

28. Have you had rupture of membranes?

29. How many children do you have?

30. Have you had a miscarriage/abortion/stillborn?

Instructions commonly used in the physical exam (the translator can write how he/she would say each in Spanish)

Open your mouth and say “ahhh”

Do what I am doing, repeat after me

Relax

Open your mouth and breath deeply in and out

Stand up, sit down, lie down on your back

Follow the light with your eyes

Squeeze my fingers as hard as you can

Can you feel my touch?

Which way am I pointing your toe?