Module 2 – Unit 5: Language Focus
Advantages and Disadvantages of Treatment Options
Think About It What do you do to stay up-to-date on treatment options in your area of specialty? As a health care professional, how do you assess and compare the best treatment options for a certain illness or condition?
- Choose one of the four situations below or write your own that fits your health care field.
- Write two treatment options on the Role Play Worksheet.
- Write a description of your patient on the Role Play Worksheet. Include details about the patient that may influence treatment choices such as age, occupation, and living situation.
Example
Mrs. Wong, 84 y/o widow, living alone; wants to stay independent; does not want to live in a nursing home. - List the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option.
- Use the Useful Language below to write what you might say to your patient.
- Write two sentences that you would say to describe the advantages of each treatment option to your patient.
- Write two sentences that you would say to describe the disadvantages of each treatment option to your patient.
- Write two sentences that compare the treatment choices to your patient.
Situations
- Patient with depression: Extensive “talk therapy” without antidepressant medications vs. antidepressant therapy and limited talk therapy.
- Patient with hypertension: Diet and exercise regime vs. medication.
- Elderly patient considering a hip replacement: Risk of hip replacement surgery vs. no surgery and living with decreased mobility.
- Woman considering tubal ligation surgery for sterilization vs. continued use of contraception method.
- Your Own Situation:
Useful Language
- Describing advantages
- The advantage of doing/choosing this is . . .
- A good thing about this is . . .
- For someone who is . . . this might be a good choice . . .
- Describing disadvantages
- The disadvantage of this is . . .
- For someone who likes . . . this may be difficult.
- There is a risk of . . .
- The side effects are . . .
- Common side effects are . . .
- Contrasting choices
- For you, ___________ may be safer/easier/ more effective/ than . . .
- For someone like you, ___________ might be easier than . . .
Role Play Work Sheet |
|
Health Professional’s Specialty |
Patient Information Age: Occupation: Living situation: Important concerns: |
Treatment Option A: _______________________ Advantages
Disadvantages |
Sentences to describe advantages and disadvantages to the patient: |
Treatment Option B: _______________________ Advantages
Disadvantages |
|
Sentences comparing the two choices: |
|