American Hospital English (AHE)

About the Book

This is a picture dictionary-style book for anyone interested in the type of English language used in American hospitals. Arranged alphabetically, each of its 26 chapters is devoted to one letter of the English alphabet. The content of the images includes abbreviations, anatomy, clothing and personal hygiene, cultural trivia, descriptors, disease, equipment, food, medications, months of the year, numbers, procedures, shapes and signs. Each item is accompanied by a definition, phonetic spelling and sample sentence. Images are situated on one half of each page, with text on the other. An index in the back of the book can be used as a cross-reference tool and to help locate words quickly. Many of the phrases resemble those that may be encountered during classes or examinations for various healthcare occupations. It can be useful as a reference tool or exercise book by professionals as well as non-professionals. It is designed to be an introduction to hospital work and language for all levels of native and non-native speakers of English.

About the Author

Laura Medlin is a registered nurse who has worked in the clinical patient care setting for over 20 years. She has also earned a Bachelor's degree in Humanities and a Master's degree in Teaching International Languages following a TESOL pattern. This book merges the topics of language study and U.S. healthcare. The author lives and works in Northern California.