Universal Medical Symbols

Universal Medical Symbols

Visitors and patients entering a hospital or other healthcare facility—especially those experiencing stress over the illness of a loved one—often experience a daunting environment. Magnifying this problem is the increasing demands on the health care system by individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) or those with low reading proficiency. Today, one of the most important issues facing healthcare administrators is providing services to LEP populations. Helping them navigate complex healthcare facilities is a key objective.

Healthcare professionals have their own jargon that is written with symbols. Being able to read and understand medical symbols is part of being a member of the healthcare professional community. Within American culture, the Caduceus – the winged staff with two twisting snakes – is one of the most commonly used medical symbols. Read a short history about the Caduceus Links to an external site..

Step 2 

You will find the guidebook Universal Symbols in Health Care Download Universal Symbols in Health Care and a list of Common Medical Symbols Download Common Medical Symbolsfrom the National Cancer Institute.

From each of the two lists, choose one symbol to define, discuss and state why it is important for healthcare professionals to recognize.   

Links:

https://media.segd.org/s3fs-public/segd_hj_00_full_workbook_1.pdf

https://training.seer.cancer.gov/terminology/abbr_symb_acro/symbols.html