Can you feel my tension?

luvmy2angels · Dec 13, 2005

I would say definately get and start the Math for Meds book, unless you are really good and comfortable with math! Math is a nightmare for me. I never took algebra in high school, so a lot of the stuff was totally NEW to me!! We had to have the first 15 chapters done before we started, it was a big old drag for me!! BUT I've come a long way!! I amaze myself sometimes with the things I am able to figure out!

The flash cards idea is wonderful, that is what really helped me. Terminology wasn't nearly as hard as the math was for me, but then again I have worked as a CNA for the past 18 years so I learned a lot of the terminology just through my working. Good Luck to you !!!!

SoulShine75 · Dec 14, 2005

my fave rhinorrhea
rhino (nose) rrhea (to flow)= runny nose

That's a good one. :chuckle

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2005

Have you been using the Jane Rice link I gave you to her teminology book as well as the others? Just about everything you need to know is in those links. I just looked through the site of the terminology link you listed and it seems helpful although it is not all-inclusive. It seems like it is designed to be a self-testing tool for students. I taught medical terminology at a vocational school and basic terminology classes are organized around the body systems, so basic anatomy is involved. And, I mean, really basic--arm, leg, knee, head, liver, stomach, etc. Focus on the parts of the body and the word roots that apply to them. There are only a limited number of prefixes and suffixes, so putting those on flash cards and going through them all the time will get them into your brain. By far the biggest group of words are the roots, specifically those related to the body systems. That's why when I found the link to practice exercises of Jane Rice's book I thought that would be very helpful to you because her book is organized by body systems and is almost identical to the practice exercises my students had with a tutorial disc that went with their textbook.

Now, it's true that there is more advanced terminology, but it is almost never introduced into a basic medical terminology course because it requires a deeper understanding of anatomy, physiology, nursing and medicine. Do you have a copy of Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary? In the Appendices at the back of it is a whole bunch of useful information. The reason you may not know about what all is there is because the Table of Contents for it is actually after the last "z" entry in the dictionary and is the very first page before all these appendices begin. There is a section in there called Prefixes, Suffixes and Combining Forms--about 5 pages of an alphabetized list along with their meanings. There are some word roots listed there that do not normally appear in basic medical terminology books. Following that section is one on Latin and Greek Nomenclature with English equivalents which would be good for you to review also. Many of these you may already know or have some idea of.

I can almost feel your anxiety through your posts, however, having taught this kind of course I am positive that if you focus on the terms relating to the parts of the body, you will be OK. In my classes I focused a lot on combining word roots with prefixes and suffixes to make medical terms--this is one of the most basic ideas that you must understand about medical terminology. I tried to come up with games that created words from these three groups to make class more interesting and interactive. Basic medical terminology is cut and dry and not very exciting, sorry. There are several rules of combining that you need to know as you start working on terminology. If I am not mistaken all the words included in the Glossary on the Jane Rice site are the words required to learn for that textbook. Take that list, copy and past it to a word document and you have her whole course in a word document of a few pages. It's that easy, honest! When you are presented with your terminology test, you will want to break each word down into one of three categories: prefix, suffix or word root (you can have multiple word roots strung together). You can usually figure out a meaning by breaking each word down this way. When it comes to word roots it helps if you can think of other words that have those roots in them that you already know--it makes it easier for you to figure out the meaning of a word you don't know.

RNin2007 · Dec 15, 2005

That isn't nice to assign work over break, sheesh! But really, like others have said...medical terminology is really easy. I bet you wouldn't even have to buy any book if you found a website that was comprehensive as far as definitions go...then you could build your own little test sheet in excel. If you copy and paste in definitions, go to "insert comment" then enter the meaning of the prefix or suffix in the text box. The text box with the answer in it will be hidden unless you mouse over it on the word....I do this all the time to test myself (flashcards work too...but for me typing is easier and faster).

You'll do fine, don't sweat it and ENJOY your break...don't let them take that from ya!

~J

SoulShine75 · Dec 15, 2005

I would say definately get and start the Math for Meds book, unless you are really good and comfortable with math! Math is a nightmare for me. I never took algebra in high school, so a lot of the stuff was totally NEW to me!! We had to have the first 15 chapters done before we started, it was a big old drag for me!! BUT I've come a long way!! I amaze myself sometimes with the things I am able to figure out!
The flash cards idea is wonderful, that is what really helped me. Terminology wasn't nearly as hard as the math was for me, but then again I have worked as a CNA for the past 18 years so I learned a lot of the terminology just through my working. Good Luck to you !!!!

I did get the math book and am working through it now. I'm hoping to be finished with the 18 chapters before Christmas so afterwards I can focus on the med term. The book is really just refresher to things I already knew, but there are a few things I didn't know. I hope this test isn't a make or break one. I hate those!!! :uhoh21:

SoulShine75 · Dec 15, 2005

That isn't nice to assign work over break, sheesh! But really, like others have said...medical terminology is really easy. I bet you wouldn't even have to buy any book if you found a website that was comprehensive as far as definitions go...then you could build your own little test sheet in excel. If you copy and paste in definitions, go to "insert comment" then enter the meaning of the prefix or suffix in the text box. The text box with the answer in it will be hidden unless you mouse over it on the word....I do this all the time to test myself (flashcards work too...but for me typing is easier and faster).
You'll do fine, don't sweat it and ENJOY your break...don't let them take that from ya!
~J

Great idea!!!! Thank you so much. I'm definately going to try that tonight! I did make some flash cards. I learn really well that way, but I will try this and use them both!!!

SoulShine75 · Dec 15, 2005

Have you been using the Jane Rice link I gave you to her teminology book as well as the others? Just about everything you need to know is in those links. I just looked through the site of the terminology link you listed and it seems helpful although it is not all-inclusive. It seems like it is designed to be a self-testing tool for students. I taught medical terminology at a vocational school and basic terminology classes are organized around the body systems, so basic anatomy is involved. And, I mean, really basic--arm, leg, knee, head, liver, stomach, etc. Focus on the parts of the body and the word roots that apply to them. There are only a limited number of prefixes and suffixes, so putting those on flash cards and going through them all the time will get them into your brain. By far the biggest group of words are the roots, specifically those related to the body systems. That's why when I found the link to practice exercises of Jane Rice's book I thought that would be very helpful to you because her book is organized by body systems and is almost identical to the practice exercises my students had with a tutorial disc that went with their textbook.
Now, it's true that there is more advanced terminology, but it is almost never introduced into a basic medical terminology course because it requires a deeper understanding of anatomy, physiology, nursing and medicine. Do you have a copy of Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary? In the Appendices at the back of it is a whole bunch of useful information. The reason you may not know about what all is there is because the Table of Contents for it is actually after the last "z" entry in the dictionary and is the very first page before all these appendices begin. There is a section in there called Prefixes, Suffixes and Combining Forms--about 5 pages of an alphabetized list along with their meanings. There are some word roots listed there that do not normally appear in basic medical terminology books. Following that section is one on Latin and Greek Nomenclature with English equivalents which would be good for you to review also. Many of these you may already know or have some idea of.
I can almost feel your anxiety through your posts, however, having taught this kind of course I am positive that if you focus on the terms relating to the parts of the body, you will be OK. In my classes I focused a lot on combining word roots with prefixes and suffixes to make medical terms--this is one of the most basic ideas that you must understand about medical terminology. I tried to come up with games that created words from these three groups to make class more interesting and interactive. Basic medical terminology is cut and dry and not very exciting, sorry. There are several rules of combining that you need to know as you start working on terminology. If I am not mistaken all the words included in the Glossary on the Jane Rice site are the words required to learn for that textbook. Take that list, copy and past it to a word document and you have her whole course in a word document of a few pages. It's that easy, honest! When you are presented with your terminology test, you will want to break each word down into one of three categories: prefix, suffix or word root (you can have multiple word roots strung together). You can usually figure out a meaning by breaking each word down this way. When it comes to word roots it helps if you can think of other words that have those roots in them that you already know--it makes it easier for you to figure out the meaning of a word you don't know.

Hi Daytonite I have looked through those links and have found them really helpful. YOU have been helpful, so thank you! I am going to print your post and keep it handy so I can have it on me. I really do need to run out and get me a Taber's dictionary. I think I was so overwhelmed because I didn't know when I would have the time to do both things with Christmas right around the corner. BUT I have devised a plan and made a schedule. I am focusing on the math, since it's just a refresher and once I am finished with that (hopefully before Christmas) I am going to put all my energy on the medical terminology. I am very much a planner and organizer and when I read we'd be having these 2 tests I immediately went into panic mode. :rotfl: I'm feeling better now that I have a plan.

Thanks for all of your advice. :)