MediEnglish A2 - Inglés para enfermeros
Learn how to introduce yourself, identify roles, and use essential hospital phrases.
Modulo 9: Infection control
In this module, students learn how to talk about infection control, hygiene measures, and how to give advice to patients and colleagues using should / shouldn’t. Grammar focus: modal verb should.
En este módulo, los estudiantes aprenden a hablar sobre control de infecciones, medidas de higiene y cómo dar consejos a pacientes y colegas usando should / shouldn’t. Gramática: verbo modal should.
Learning Materials
Learn vocabulary, phrases, and grammar
Medical Vocabulary
Learn essential medical terms and their usage.
Clinical Phrases
Common expressions used in healthcare settings
You should wash your hands before touching the patient.
Debe lavarse las manos antes de tocar al paciente.
Nurses should always wear gloves.
Las enfermeras siempre deben usar guantes.
Patients shouldn’t share personal items.
Los pacientes no deben compartir objetos personales. |
You should use hand sanitizer after contact.
Debe usar desinfectante después del contacto.
The doctor should disinfect the equipment.
El doctor debe desinfectar el equipo.
You shouldn’t visit if you are sick.
No debe visitar si está enfermo.
Everyone should cover their mouth when coughing.
Todos deben cubrirse la boca al toser.
You should avoid contact with contagious people.
Debe evitar el contacto con personas contagiosas. |
We should follow hospital hygiene policies.
Debemos seguir las políticas de higiene del hospital.
You shouldn’t forget to wear a mask.
No debe olvidar usar una mascarilla.
Should / Shouldn’t for Advice
Pronombres personales
What is and what is the use:
Que es y como se usa
What is it and what is the use?
- The modal verb should is used to give advice, recommendations, or express what is the best or correct action.
El verbo modal should se usa para dar consejos, recomendaciones o expresar cuál es la mejor o correcta acción. - The negative form shouldn’t is used to say what is not advisable or not correct.
La forma negativa shouldn’t se usa para decir lo que no es recomendable o no es correcto. - In hospitals, nurses and doctors use should and shouldn’t constantly to explain safety rules and infection control measures.
En los hospitales, enfermeras y doctores usan should y shouldn’t constantemente para explicar reglas de seguridad y medidas de control de infecciones.
How to use (structure)
Affirmative (afirmativo):
Subject | should | Base verb | Complement | Example |
You | should | wash | your hands | You should wash your hands. → Debe lavarse las manos. |
Nurses | should | wear | gloves | Nurses should wear gloves. → Las enfermeras deben usar guantes. |
We | should | disinfect | the area | We should disinfect the area. → Debemos desinfectar el área. |
Negative (negativo):
Subject | shouldn’t | Base verb | Complement | Example |
You | shouldn’t | visit | if you are sick | You shouldn’t visit if you are sick. → No debe visitar si está enfermo. |
Patients | shouldn’t | share | food | Patients shouldn’t share food. → Los pacientes no deben compartir comida. |
Staff | shouldn’t | ignore | the policy | Staff shouldn’t ignore the policy. → El personal no debe ignorar la política. |
Interrogative (interrogativo):
Structure | Example (EN) | Example (ES) |
Should + subject + base verb + complement? | Should I wear a mask? | ¿Debo usar una mascarilla? |
Should + nurses + wash hands before meals? | Should nurses wash hands before meals? | ¿Deben las enfermeras lavarse las manos antes de comer? |
Short Answers:
- Yes, you should. / No, you shouldn’t.
- Sí, debe. / No, no debe.
How NOT to use (Common Errors):
❌ You should to wash your hands.
✅ You should wash your hands.
(Después de should no usamos “to”).
❌ He don’t should wear gloves.
✅ He shouldn’t wear gloves.
(La forma negativa correcta es shouldn’t, nunca don’t should).
❌ She shoulds disinfect the bed.
✅ She should disinfect the bed.
(Should nunca lleva “s” en tercera persona singular).
❌ Should nurses to wear masks?
✅ Should nurses wear masks?
(Después de should, el verbo va en forma base, sin “to”).
Examples in Context (EN/ES):
- You should wash your hands before touching the patient.
→ Debe lavarse las manos antes de tocar al paciente. - Visitors shouldn’t stay too long in the patient’s room.
→ Los visitantes no deben quedarse demasiado tiempo en la habitación del paciente. - Doctors should explain the procedure clearly.
→ Los doctores deben explicar el procedimiento claramente. - We should wear protective gowns in isolation rooms.
→ Debemos usar batas protectoras en las habitaciones de aislamiento. - You shouldn’t use the same gloves for two patients.
→ No debe usar los mismos guantes para dos pacientes. - Should I disinfect the bed after every patient? – Yes, you should.
→ ¿Debo desinfectar la cama después de cada paciente? – Sí, debe.
Dialogue:
Nurse: You should wash your hands before touching the patient.
Doctor: Yes, I know. I washed them just now.
Nurse: Good! We should always use sanitizer too.
Doctor: Right, we shouldn’t forget that.
Translate:
Enfermera: Debe lavarse las manos antes de tocar al paciente.
Doctor: Sí, lo sé. Me las lavé justo ahora.
Enfermera: ¡Bien! Siempre debemos usar desinfectante también.
Doctor: Correcto, no debemos olvidar eso.
Key vocabulary: wash hands, sanitizer, forget, always, before.
Dialogue:
Visitor: Can I visit my father?
Nurse: Yes, but you should wear a mask and gloves.
Visitor: Oh, really?
Nurse: Yes. And you shouldn’t stay more than 15 minutes in the room.
Translate:
Visitante: ¿Puedo visitar a mi padre?
Enfermera: Sí, pero debe usar mascarilla y guantes.
Visitante: ¿Ah, de verdad?
Enfermera: Sí. Y no debe quedarse más de 15 minutos en la habitación.
Key vocabulary: visit, wear mask, gloves, stay, minutes.
Dialogue:
Nurse: You should cover your mouth when you cough.
Patient: Okay, with my hand?
Nurse: No, you shouldn’t use your hand. You should use a tissue.
Patient: Got it. I will use a tissue.
Translate:
Enfermera: Debe cubrirse la boca cuando tosa.
Paciente: Está bien, ¿con mi mano?
Enfermera: No, no debe usar la mano. Debe usar un pañuelo.
Paciente: Entendido. Usaré un pañuelo.
Key vocabulary: cough, cover, tissue, hand, use.
Dialogue:
Doctor: We should disinfect the equipment after every use.
Nurse: Yes, and we shouldn’t reuse needles.
Doctor: Absolutely. Sharps should go directly in the special container.
Nurse: Correct. That prevents contamination.
Translate:
Doctor: Debemos desinfectar el equipo después de cada uso.
Enfermera: Sí, y no debemos reutilizar agujas.
Doctor: Absolutamente. Los objetos punzantes deben ir directamente en el contenedor especial.
Enfermera: Correcto. Eso previene la contaminación.
Key vocabulary: disinfect, equipment, reuse, needles, sharps, contamination.
Learning