ESL Podcast 694 - Going to the Emergency Room
emergency room - the part of a hospital that is always open for patients who have very serious, life-threatening problems and can come without an appointment
The nurse said we should monitor the baby's temperature, and if it reaches 105, we should take her to the emergency room.
severed - separated or detached, usually by cutting, often used to talk about a body part
His leg was severed in a horrible car accident.
stitch - a piece of thread sewn into one's skin to close a deep cut
When Nate dropped a sharp knife on his toe, he had to get three stitches.
admissions desk - the table or counter where one first goes when entering a facility or office to explain why one has come and request an appointment or visit
The man at the admissions desk gave us several forms to fill out and asked us to bring them back with a copy of our insurance card.
waiting room - a large area with many chairs where people wait until it is their turn to be seen by a doctor or dentist, often with magazines for people to read
I was in the waiting room for more than 20 minutes, so I asked the receptionist how much longer it would be before I would see the doctor.
filled to capacity - completely full, without room for anyone else or anything else
The auditorium was filled to capacity with people who wanted to hear her speak.
ambulance - an emergency vehicle used to transport people with serious medical problems to a hospital, filled with equipment and supplies so that they can receive medical treatment while traveling
Do you think you can drive yourself to the hospital, or should we call an ambulance?
EMT - emergency medical technician; a person whose job is to provide medical assistance in an emergency, especially taking care of that person until he or she can be brought to a doctor or hospital
The EMT kept Aunt Mildred alive while she was in the ambulance on her way to the hospital.
stretcher - a narrow bed on wheels used to move a sick or injured person who cannot walk or sit
The nurses pushed Kara down the hall on a stretcher, because she was still unconscious.
pileup - a traffic accident involving many cars, each one crashing into the car in front of it
The ice storm caused a seven-car pileup.
triage - the process of determining which patients need medical treatment immediately and which ones can wait, based on how sick or injured they are
The nurses began performing triage as soon as they arrived at the site of the explosion.
critical - very serious, especially referring to a dangerous or life-threatening illness or injury
The wound is very painful, but it isn't critical.
exam room - a room where a doctor interacts with a patient to determine what is wrong and what type of treatment needs to be provided
They asked Walt to go into the exam room, take off his shirt, and wait for the doctor to come in.
surgery - a medical procedure that requires cutting open part of one's body so that a doctor can fix or remove something
The doctors said surgery is the only way to fix Xavier's knee.
to give up - to stop trying to have or do something, usually because it seems extremely difficult or impossible
Lauren tried to be an actress for 15 years before deciding to give up and try a different career.
to bleed to death - to die from a loss of blood; to die because one has lost too much blood through a cut or wound
Yes, you've cut your finger, but I don't think you'll bleed to death. Just put pressure on it.
total loss - something that had no useful purpose or result; something that was worthless or pointless
Attending that conference wasn't a total loss. Although we already knew most of the information we were given, we learned one or two new things.
voluntarily - willingly; without being forced to do something; doing something because one wants to
Did you join Alcoholics Anonymous voluntarily, or did someone make you do it?