VOA慢速英语-Health Report - Safety Checklist Aims to Reduce Mist

W.H.O. launches effort to prevent deaths and injuries in the operating room. Transcript¹ of radio broadcast:
01 July 2008

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Doctors around the world now perform more than two hundred thirty million major operations every year. The World Health Organization says preventable injuries and deaths from surgical² care are a growing concern.

Experts estimate that surgical complications³ result in at least one million deaths a year. The W.H.O. says studies suggest that about half of these problems may be preventable.

The agency hopes to reduce mistakes with a program built around a new Surgical Safety Checklist.

Atul Gawande at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, helped develop the Safe Surgery Saves Live program. He and other researchers studied records from fifty-six countries.

In two thousand four, surgical complications in developed countries led to death in less than one percent of cases. In developing countries, the rate was five to ten percent.

Complications can happen during an operation or after. For example, an infection might develop after surgery.

More than two hundred medical societies and health ministries⁴ are joined in the effort to make surgery safer. The checklist is similar to what airplane pilots use before takeoffs and landings.

One member of the surgical team administers⁵ the checklist. The first questions are asked before the patient receives anesthesia. The very first step is to confirm the patient's identity and the operation to be performed.

More questions are asked before the first cut. All members of the team are supposed to introduce themselves by name and job. Another step is to confirm whether the patient was given antibiotics⁶ within the last hour to prevent infection.

The third and final part of the checklist is completed before the patient leaves the operating room. For example, surgical items like sponges⁷ are counted to make sure nothing is left inside the patient.

At eight study locations worldwide, these tasks were being done only thirty-six percent of the time. But the W.H.O. says use of the checklist increased that to sixty-eight percent. Some hospitals reached almost one hundred percent.

Early results from one thousand patients showed a drop in complications and deaths.

Doctor Gawande says the checklist has helped him in his own surgery.

A final version of the checklist is expected by the end of the year. Britain, Ireland and Jordan are among countries that have already announced plans to use it nationwide.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver⁸. I'm Steve Ember.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

3 complications   

（新出现的）困难，难题( complication的名词复数 )； 并发症； 曲折

参考例句：

• Complications set in, and the patient died. 病人因出现并发症而死亡。
• Normally there are no complications with the medicine. 服用这种药按理不会产生并发症。

4 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

5 administers   

管理( administer的第三人称单数 )； 治理（国家）； 给予； 执行

参考例句：

• Physical exercise administers to the circulation of the blood. 体育锻炼有助于血液循环。
• Health administers to peace of mind. 健康有助于身心的安宁。

6 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

7 sponges   

n.海绵( sponge的名词复数 )；海绵动物

参考例句：

• Sponges absorb water. 海绵吸水。 来自辞典例句
• Ice bags and alcohol sponges help to reduce fever, especially in children. 用冰袋和洒精擦浴有助于降体温，尤其是对儿童。 来自辞典例句

8 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。