TUBERCULOSIS PATIENT EDUCATION - Ma revue n° 007 du 01/04/2021 | Espace Infirmier
 

L'infirmière n° 007 du 01/04/2021

 

JE ME FORME

ANGLAIS

Émilien Mohsen  

Professeur d’anglais aux Ifsi de Nancy et auteur de Maîtriser l’anglais médical, L’Anglais médical pratique et L’Anglais en ergothérapie, aux Éditions Lamarre

A nurse is giving a patient some information about tuberculosis and how it can be dealt with in hospital and at home.

Nurse (N): As you know, you have been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), which is an infectious disease that one develops due to airborne mycobacteria. Do you happen to know anything about this illness?

Patient (P): Frankly, nothing at all. But airborne, you say?

N: Yes, that is it is transmitted through cough, sneeze, or talk, or spewing nasal and throat secretions into the air, and mainly affects the lungs. And it is still the first cause of death among the infectious diseases worldwide.

P: But how come that I didn’t feel anything until all appea red at once?

N: It is that latent tuberculosis is silent in most cases and never develops, as the symptoms are controlled by the immune system. However, in some cases, the disea se can become active many years later due to immunosuppression.

P: Immunosuppression?

N: It’s that the body develops a weak immune response to illnesses, and that’s why you experienced fever, night sweating, joint pain, fatigue and weight loss and you spat out blood.

P: Does that means it’s life-threatening?

N: Only in case TB is untreated, and the good thing is that in some cases it can become either a chronic disea se, that is the patient remains contaminating seve ral years later, or better, the illness heals on its own.

P: And so, now what can be done?

N: In your case, TB is still contaminating for the first two to three weeks, in spite of the treatment you are getting, which is why you are in isolation here in hospital in a dedicated room. And you are under specific antibiotics, medical surveillance and health exams until you are no more contagious and can be discharged home. Then we’ll give you some recommendations to follow so that tuberculosis won’t become resistant to antibiotics.

P: What should I do once back home?

N: Well, as medical treatment is long and rather complicated, and in order to avoid relapse and even lethal com plications, we’ll implement a holistic, that is global, approach which takes into account your physical, social, psychological, emotional or even sexual health. Therefore, first of all, and as long as you are contagious, you have to wear a mask. And you have to observe your treatment strictly and entirely as indicated, even if it seems tedious.

P: Are there any side effects to this long and heavy treatment?

N: Yes. And so, you have to inform us immediately if you experience any nausea, vomiting, itching, joint pain, jaundice, numbness in the legs and vision disorders, so that we can adapt the treatment. We’ll also regularly proceed to hepatic assessment, that is for the liver function, because of the toxicity of the drugs. Also, you should avoid alcohol intake as it adds to the toxicity of the medicine and quit smoking as it exacerbates TB. And then we’ll see you on a monthly basis to monitor the evolution of the treatment and your health condition. And in case of any question of any kind, you can call us anytime. Ok?

P: Yes. And I’ll do my best to stick to the treatment plan. Thanks a lot.

Vocabulary

Tuberculosis Tuberculose

Infectious disease Maladie infectieuse

Mycobacteria Mycobactérie

Nasal secretions Sécrétions nasales

Throat secretions Sécrétions pharyngées

Lungs Poumons

Life-threatening Risque vital

Chronic disease Maladie chronique

Relapse Rechute

Hepatic assessment Bilan hépatique

Common phrases

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that develops due to airborne mycobacteria.

→ La tuberculose est une maladie infectieuse qui se développe par l’inhalation des mycobactéries aéroportées.

It is transmitted through nasal and throat secretions, and mainly affects the lungs.

→ Elle se transmet par les sécrétions nasales et pharyngées, et touche principalement les poumons.

In case tuberculosis is untreated, it is life-threatening.

→ Non traitée, la tuberculose présente un risque vital.

The patient is kept in isolation in hospital in a dedicated room and given specific antibiotics.

→ Le patient est gardé en isolement dans une chambre dédiée à l’hôpital, avec une antibiothérapie spécifique.

Medical surveillance and health exams are done until the patient is no more contagious.

→ Une surveillance médicale et des bilans de santé sont effectués jusqu’à ce que le patient ne soit plus contagieux.

We regularly proceed to hepatic assessment because of the toxicity of the drugs.

→ Nous procédons régulièrement à des bilans hépatiques au regard de la toxicité des traitements.

As long as the patient is contagious, he has to wear a mask.

→ Le patient doit porter un masque aussi longtemps qu’il est contagieux.