This week’s Spanish on shift: Triage Assessment

Reader,

¡Buenos días amigos!

Emergency intake. Medication verification. These are the moments where your Spanish has to be fast and accurate.

We've been testing two scripts in the field, and the feedback is clear: these structures work. Nurses and medics are using them on shift. Patients understand them. Communication accelerates.

Here's how to run both scenarios.

SCENARIO 1: Emergency Intake (Unstable Patient)

You have 60 seconds. You need to know: allergies, current meds, and why they're here.

¿Qué pasó? (What happened?)

Specific follow-ups (ask what applies):

¿Es alérgico a algún medicamento? (Are you allergic to any medications?)

¿Toma algún medicamento actualmente? (Are you taking any medications now?)

¿Cuándo comió o bebió algo la última vez? (When did you last eat or drink?)

¿Ha vomitado? (Have you vomited?)

---

SCENARIO 2: Medication Instructions (Post-visit)

Patient is stable. You have a couple minutes. Goal: They understand exactly when, how, and what to watch for.

Medication name + dosage:

Tome [medication] [dosage] (Take [medication] [dosage])

Frequency:

+ Cada [number] horas (Every [number] hours)​
+ Una vez al día (Once a day)​
+ Dos veces al día (Twice a day)

With food or without:

Con comida (With food)​
Sin comida (Without food)

Red flags (if applicable):

Si tiene fiebre, náusea, o erupciones, llame al 911 (If you have fever, nausea, or rash, call 911)

---

This Week's Practice

If you work intake or ED: practice the emergency intake script with a colleague.
If you're in discharge or med reconciliation: use the medication instructions script.
Notice what questions patients ask back—those tell you where your phrasing could sharpen.

ALWAYS remember to use a professional medical interpreter when you're just learning!

Next week: Procedure explanation. How to walk a patient through what's about to happen so they're informed and calm.

—Tyler

HablaMed

Ps. Want to learn more? Fill out this form to get our FREE No-Fluff Grammar guide with 3 formulas that get you through 80% of a patient interview! This is the first version of what is to become our Medical Spanish Book where we do deep dives on all our recommendations! No grammar drills, just repeatable, practical Spanish that will take you to the next level!

Request your copy HERE ​