Glossary Term - P
Alphabetical glossary of health & disability services, health terms and general MidCentral District Health Board information.
Pacemaker
A pacemaker gives off electrical signals if your heart isn’t beating regularly.
Paediatric Service
Pandemic Planning
Patella
The medical name for your kneecap.
Patients Property
Pathology
The study of diseases and how they affect your body. A doctor who specialises in pathology is called a pathologist.
Payroll
Pelvis
The bones in your lower body that protect the bladder and in women, the uterus.
Pest Control
Pharmacy
Physiotherapy
Photons
Are energy particles used in radiation treatment
Pituitary
This is a gland (a tiny organ) that makes lots of hormones. These are important for your body. They help it to work properly.
Plasma
This is a straw coloured liquid in your blood. All the blood cells float in it while the blood travels around your body.
Plaster Room
Platelets
These are the smallest types of blood cell, which helps make your blood clot when you cut yourself.
Pneumonia
When germs get inside your lungs, it can make you very unwell. Pneumonia can make you feel very hot and make you cough a lot. Don't worry though, the doctors will give you antibiotics which are a special type of medicine. They will soon make you feel a lot better.
Post-operative
This just means 'after the operation'.
Premedication
Premedication or 'premed' is a special medicine that you are sometimes given before an operation (surgery). It's usually a liquid that you can drink and it helps to stop you worrying about the operation.
Prescription
The note that a doctor writes to a pharmacist to tell him or her what medicines you need and in what dose.
Privacy
Property
Psycho-Geriatric
Psychologist
A person who has studied human behaviour and can help people to plan and bring about changes or adapt to changes over which they have no control. A psychologist is not a medical doctor and does not prescribe medication.
Psychology
The scientific study of human thought and behaviour.
Psycho-Oncology
The use of psychological approaches to the management of distress associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
Public Health Nurses
Public Health Unit
Pupil
The opening in the front of your eye that lets in light so that a picture forms on the retina at the back of your eye. Muscles control the pupil so that it is bigger when it is dark, and smaller when it is light. This stops too much light going into your eye.
Print this Page
Last Updated 17/10/2007