1. Home
  2. Medical
  3. Self-Study
  4. An Appointment in Gastroenterology
  5. Gathering Background Information – Simultaneous Format

GI-featured-labeled

The appointment is divided into two sections. In the first segment, the nurse is seeking to gather background information from the patient. The second section is the nurse talking to the patient after the doctor was in to talk to her. (For this project, we did not have an actual doctor, so it is based on an imagined interaction between doctor and patient.) In the second part, the nurse gives descriptions of the two procedures prescribed by the doctor.

Gathering Background Information

In the first part of the appointment, Mary Jane Harrington, the lead nurse for Gastroenterology, meets with Mary Dykstra to gather information on her symptoms. (2:43)

Video Summary

Note that the transcript represents the ASL to English interpretation, rather than attempting a transcription of the ASL source. A possible activity could be to use the this transcript to compare to the source and see more specifically what choices Nancy used in creating this interpretation.

Nurse: Mary, your primary physician, Dr. Johnson, has recommended that you come to see us for a GI consult with Dr. Olson.  I understand that your blood work shows that you had some anemia. What kind of symptoms have you been experiencing?
Interpreter: I’m tired… every day.
Nurse: Have you had any shortness of breath?
Interpreter: No, not really. I’m just feeling very sleepy.
Nurse: And have you been able to do your normal activities?
Interpreter: Yes, um, I teach during the day. Um, I try to keep active. It just feels like it?s zapping my energy.
Nurse: Well, I did notice when I looked at the blood work that the doctor had ordered, your lab work, that you are anemic. That’s why we would like you to have these tests. What medications are you on currently, including anything over the counter that you take on a regular basis?
Interpreter: I take Zoloft, a vitamin with calcium, and the doctor wants me to take iron.
Nurse: Have you started your iron yet? Interpreter: Just for a few months now.
Nurse: When we do schedule these tests, we’ll give you some written instructions. One of the things you will need to do is to stop your iron seven days before your exam.
Interpreter: Okay.
Nurse: Have you had any other tests ordered by Dr. Johnson? I have the results of your lab work…your blood work that was drawn. Have you had any other tests?
Interpreter: I did have a colonoscopy before, two, three years ago.
Nurse: Okay. What about your family history? Do you have any family history of colon cancer?
Interpreter: (overlap) My mother’s side. It is colon cancer.
Nurse: And who in the family had colon cancer?
Interpreter: Just my mom
Nurse: Your mother? Okay.
Interpreter: My family has … uh, polyps.
Nurse: A history of polyps? Did you have polyps at the time?
Interpreter: My brother has had polyps, and I don’t know whether I have them or not. That’s a good question.
Nurse: All right, well, when you do that test, we’ll see if you have any.
Interpreter: Okay.

Share This