发烧与血象 Fever, Low Counts and When to Call

By the end of this module you can…

• Explain blood counts in plain Mandarin: white cells, red cells and platelets, and when counts are usually lowest.
• Say the fever rule word for word: call at 38 °C (100.4 °F), day or night, with no fever medicine first, what to do if no one answers, and check it with teach-back.
• Talk about infection prevention, bleeding precautions, the signs of anemia and the white-cell booster shot.
• Take a call on the 24-hour line in Mandarin: read back the temperature, ask the key questions and say what happens next.
• Say the call-now and 911 signs and the ER line “I’m on chemo,” with calm words for a frightened family.

Key vocabulary

Sixteen words from this module. Tap the speaker to hear each one.

Fever & the call

• 发烧fā shāoFever
• 发冷fā lěngChills, feeling cold
• 退烧药tuì shāo yàoFever medicine (fever reducer)
• 急诊jí zhěnEmergency room
• 感染gǎn rǎnInfection
• 口罩kǒu zhàoFace mask

Blood counts

• 血常规xuè cháng guīBlood count (CBC)
• 白细胞bái xì bāoWhite blood cells
• 抵抗力dǐ kàng lìResistance to infection
• 红细胞hóng xì bāoRed blood cells
• 贫血pín xuèAnemia (low red cells)
• 血小板xuè xiǎo bǎnPlatelets

Bleeding & shots

• 出血chū xuèBleeding
• 淤青yū qīngBruise
• 输血shū xuèBlood transfusion
• 升白针shēng bái zhēnWhite-cell booster shot

Ten core phrases

The lines from this module’s take-home phrase sheet. In the course you can print them on one page for your pocket.

1. 体温到了三十八度，也就是华氏一百点四度，马上给我们打电话，晚上和周末也要打。Tǐ wēn dào le sān shí bā dù, yě jiù shì huá shì yì bǎi diǎn sì dù, mǎ shàng gěi wǒ men dǎ diàn huà, wǎn shang hé zhōu mò yě yào dǎ.38 °C (100.4 °F): call now, day or night.
2. 打电话之前，先别吃退烧药。Dǎ diàn huà zhī qián, xiān bié chī tuì shāo yào.No fever medicine before you call.
3. 化疗以后七到十四天，血象一般最低。Huà liáo yǐ hòu qī dào shí sì tiān, xuè xiàng yì bān zuì dī.Counts are usually lowest 7–14 days after chemo.
4. 勤洗手，少去人多的地方。Qín xǐ shǒu, shǎo qù rén duō de dì fang.Wash hands often; avoid crowds.
5. 刷牙用软毛牙刷，刮胡子用电动剃须刀。Shuā yá yòng ruǎn máo yá shuā, guā hú zi yòng diàn dòng tì xū dāo.Soft toothbrush, electric razor.
6. 如果电话打不通，或者半个小时左右还没人回电话，就直接去最近的急诊，告诉他们您在做化疗。Rú guǒ diàn huà dǎ bu tōng, huò zhě bàn ge xiǎo shí zuǒ yòu hái méi rén huí diàn huà, jiù zhí jiē qù zuì jìn de jí zhěn, gào su tā men nín zài zuò huà liáo.Can’t get through, or no call back in about half an hour: the nearest ER.
7. 他现在体温多少？最后一次化疗是哪天？Tā xiàn zài tǐ wēn duō shao? Zuì hòu yí cì huà liáo shì nǎ tiān?His temperature now? His last chemo?
8. 去急诊的时候，第一句话就说：“我在做化疗，我发烧了。”Qù jí zhěn de shí hou, dì yī jù huà jiù shuō: “Wǒ zài zuò huà liáo, wǒ fā shāo le.”At the ER, first say: “I’m on chemo, and I have a fever.”
9. 喘不上气、胸口疼，马上打911。Chuǎn bu shàng qì, xiōng kǒu téng, mǎ shàng dǎ jiǔ yāo yāo.Can’t breathe, chest pain: call 911.
10. 您能用自己的话跟我说一遍吗？Nín néng yòng zì jǐ de huà gēn wǒ shuō yí biàn ma?Can you tell me in your own words?

What’s in Module 8

1. Part 1 · Warm-UpWarm-Up: Fevers and Night Shifts
2. Part 2 · The Words for CountsReading the Pinyin · Saying 抵抗力差 vs. Charting 中性粒细胞减少 · Vocabulary · Flash Cards · The Fever-Rule Script
3. Part 3 · The Fever RuleThe Fever Rule, Word for Word · Key Patterns · Blood Counts and the Low Point · Taking a Temperature at Home · Staying Clear of Infection
4. Part 4 · Bleeding, Anemia & ShotsLow Platelets and Bleeding · Anemia and Transfusion · The White-Cell Booster Shot
5. Part 5 · The Call at NightThe 24-Hour Line · At the ER: “I’m on Chemo” · Call Now, or 911 · What Patients Say
6. Part 6 · Role-PlayRound 1 · Guided Conversation · Round 2 · Controlled Practice · Rounds 3, 4 & 5 · Independent
7. Part 7 · Knowledge CheckModule 8 Knowledge Check
8. Part 8 · Wrap-UpModule 8 Homework · Take-Home Phrase Sheet · Module 8 Wrap-Up · 下次见