{"id":7035,"date":"2014-09-03T08:30:06","date_gmt":"2014-09-03T08:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=7035"},"modified":"2014-09-03T13:19:34","modified_gmt":"2014-09-03T13:19:34","slug":"how-to-amuse-oneself-in-an-italian-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/how-to-amuse-oneself-in-an-italian-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Amuse Oneself in an Italian Hospital!"},"content":{"rendered":"

All photos (CC) by Geoff Chamberlain<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think anyone particularly enjoys waiting around in hospitals. Despite the good healthcare that I\u2019ve come to expect here in Italy I\u2019ve always found the hospitals to be particularly barren and institutional. Those long, naked, antiseptic smelling corridors are particularly unnerving, and the only thing to distract the eye in waiting areas is the myriad of notices announcing the names of departments, or rules and regulations.<\/p>\n

Ma non tutto il male vien per nuocere<\/strong> (But every cloud has a silver lining), and when I had to take Serena to an appointment at Ospedale S. Antonio Abate<\/strong> a few days ago I decided to put my time to good use and prendere due piccioni con una fava sola<\/strong> (kill two birds with one stone). Therefore, armed with my camera, I set off to explore the hospital, and to marvel at the weird and wonderful announcements adorning the walls or hanging from the ceiling.<\/p>\n

Dear readers, I present to you a \u2018Linguistic Tour\u2019 of Ospedale S. Antonio Abate, Pontremoli<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1716\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

The mystical \u201cIsland of Information\u201d, sound very romantic doesn\u2019t it? All it really means is \u201cInfo Point\u201d<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1713\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Is it a bird? is it a plane? No, it\u2019s a floor plan of the hospital:
voi siete qui<\/strong> = you are here
ascensori per il pubblico<\/strong> = public elevators
scale per il pubblico<\/strong> = public stairs
percorso visitatori<\/strong> = visitors\u2019 route
Pronto Soccorso<\/strong> = First Aid
Centro Trasfusionale<\/strong> = Transfusion Centre
Cappella<\/strong> = Chapel
Cassa Ticket<\/strong> = Ticket counter. \u2018Ticket\u2019 is the fee that one pays for National Health treatment. (don\u2019t ask me why!)
Ambulatori<\/strong> = Clinics\/surgeries<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1717\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Hmmm, hard choice. To the wards (reparti<\/strong>), or to the snack bar?<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1711\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Now for the tricky bit! Here\u2019s a small selection from the wonderful sign above (some of the translations are obvious):<\/p>\n

Piano Terra<\/strong> = Ground Floor
<\/font>Endoscopia Digestiva<\/strong> = Digestive Tract Endoscopy
Mensa<\/strong> = Canteen
Obitorio<\/strong> = Morgue<\/p>\n

Piano Rialzato<\/strong> = Mezzanine Floor\/Upper Ground Floor
<\/font>Cartelle Cliniche<\/strong> = Medical Records
Cassa Ticket – CUP<\/strong> = Counter \u2013 CUP<\/strong> means Centro Unico di Prenotazione<\/strong> which is the Appointment Booking Centre (for Cassa Ticket<\/strong> see above)
Economato<\/strong> = Bursar\u2019s Office
Nido<\/strong> = Creche (literally: Nest)
<\/em>Riabilitazione \u2013 Fisioterapia<\/strong> = Physical Rehabilitation
Trib. per i Diritti del Malato<\/strong> = Tribunal for Patient\u2019s Rights<\/p>\n

Piano Primo<\/strong> = First Floor<\/font>
Rianimazione<\/strong> = Intensive Care
Sala Operatoria Chirurgica<\/strong> = Operating Theatre General Surgery
Sala Operatoria Ortopedica<\/strong> = Orthopaedic Operating theatre<\/p>\n

Piano Secondo<\/strong> = Second Floor<\/font>
Area Chirurgica<\/strong> = Surgical Ward<\/p>\n

Piano Terzo<\/strong> = Third Floor<\/font>
Day Hospital Oncologico<\/strong> = Cancer day Hospital. Notice that there isn\u2019t an Italian translation for \u2018day hospital\u2019<\/p>\n

Piano Quarto<\/strong> = Fourth Floor<\/font>
Medicina Generale<\/strong> = General Medicine<\/p>\n

Piano Quinto<\/strong> = Fifth Floor<\/font>
Medicina Palliativa<\/strong> = Palliative Care<\/font><\/strong><\/a>
Medicina Preventiva<\/strong> = Preventive Medicine<\/font><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1719-001\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Pronto Soccorso<\/strong> = First Aid\/Accident & Emergency. If you\u2019re an unlucky tourist this is the sign you\u2019ll need to look for!<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1707\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Ambulatori <\/strong>= Surgeries\/Clinics<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1699\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

MANIGLIONE ANTIPANICO apertura a spinta<\/strong> = ANTI-PANICK HANDLE opens when pushed.
Sale Operatorie<\/strong> = Operating Theatres<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1701\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Ambulatorio Ortopedico E CHIRURGICO<\/font><\/strong> = Orthopaedic Clinic AND SURGICAL<\/font> (just an afterthought!)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1702_thumb\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Ambulatorio Oculistico<\/strong> = Eye Clinic
Interventi cataratta<\/strong> = Cataract Operations
N.B. I like the big black arrow for the visually impaired!<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"DSCN1708\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

\u2026 and last but not least, my personal favourite, a special place for patients with a bad cold: atishoo<\/strong>! (N.B. this one\u2019s a trick, if you know the real meaning of this sign leave a comment with the answer.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

All photos (CC) by Geoff Chamberlain I don\u2019t think anyone particularly enjoys waiting around in hospitals. Despite the good healthcare that I\u2019ve come to expect here in Italy I\u2019ve always found the hospitals to be particularly barren and institutional. Those long, naked, antiseptic smelling corridors are particularly unnerving, and the only thing to distract the…<\/p>\n

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