Learn Hardcore Chinese: hùshi zài yīyuàn zhàogù tā, tā xiūxi yǐhòu bǐjiào hǎo. - The nurse takes care of him in the hospital; after resting he is relatively better.

In 护士在医院照顾他, 在 introduces a location phrase (在医院 = at the hospital). It’s not the progressive marker here. Progressive would be 护士在照顾他 or 护士正在照顾他. You can combine both ideas as 护士正在医院照顾他 (at the hospital and currently doing it).

Why is 他 repeated in the second clause?

Because the subject changes. Clause 1’s subject is 护士; clause 2’s subject must be reset to 他, or readers may assume it is still the nurse. So …，他休息以后… is necessary. If the same subject continued, you could omit it; but with a change, you must state it.

Do I need 了 anywhere? Should it be 休息了以后 or 比较好了?

Use 了 to mark completion or a new state:

Completed rest: 他休息了以后…
New state/result: …就比较好了。 Without 了 (as in the given sentence), it can read like a general tendency: “after he rests, he’s relatively better.”

What exactly does 比较 mean here? How is it different from 比 or 更?

Here 比较 is an adverb meaning “rather/relatively/pretty,” often with an implied baseline (e.g., than before). 比 makes an explicit comparison: 他比昨天好. 更 intensifies: 他休息以后更好 (“even better”). If you want clear improvement, many speakers prefer 好一些/好点儿/好多了.

Should I add 就 after 以后?

Very natural. 他休息以后就比较好 highlights an immediate or expected result (“after resting, then he’s better”). The sentence works without 就, but 就 makes the sequence/result clearer and more idiomatic.

Do I need a conjunction like 然后 or 所以 instead of just a comma?

Chinese often links clauses with a comma. To make the logic explicit you can add:

Cause-result: 护士在医院照顾他，所以他休息以后比较好。
Sequence/emphasis on result: …他休息以后就比较好。 Avoid using 和 to join full clauses.

Is 在医院里 better than 在医院?

Both are fine. 在医院 is the default “at the hospital.” 在医院里 emphasizes “inside the hospital” slightly. With buildings, adding 里 is optional; 在医院中 is a more formal variant.

Is 休息 a verb or a noun here?

Here it’s a verb: 他休息以后… = “after he rests.” As a noun you’ll see 休息后/休息之后 (“after a rest”). You can also say 他得到休息以后… (“after getting rest”), but that’s less common in everyday speech.

Can I change the word order to put the time first: 休息以后他比较好?

Yes. 休息以后他比较好 is natural. Default patterns are:

Subject + 在 + place + Verb: 护士在医院照顾他。
[Time clause] + Subject + predicate: 休息以后他比较好。 Fronting 在医院 before the subject (在医院，护士照顾他) is possible as a topic, but less neutral.

Do I need a measure word with 医院 here?

Not in 在医院 (general location). If you specify one hospital, add a classifier: 在一家医院 (everyday) or 在一所医院 (more formal/administrative). With demonstratives: 在这家/那家医院.

Pronunciation: is 护士 hùshi with a neutral tone? And 休息 xiūxi or xiūxí?

Standard Putonghua:

护士: hùshi, the second syllable is neutral tone.
休息: xiūxi, the second syllable is typically neutral. You may hear xiūxí, but xiūxi is the standard. Also, 他/她 are both pronounced tā in speech; writing distinguishes gender.

What’s the difference between 以后, 之后, and 后来?

以后/之后 can both mean “after” an event: 休息以后/之后. 之后 feels a bit more formal.
后来 is used in narratives to mean “later on (after that time)” and doesn’t attach directly to a verb phrase. Not: ✗休息后来. Instead: 他休息了，后来他好多了。

Can I make the patient the subject in a passive sentence?

Yes: 他在医院被护士照顾。 That’s neutral here. Another common, non-passive option is 在医院有护士照顾他 (“there are nurses taking care of him”).

Is 比较好 the most natural way to say “better” after resting?

It’s fine, but many speakers prefer degree phrases for improvement:

Slight: 好一些/好点儿
Clear: 好多了 Examples: 他休息以后就好一些了。/ 他休息以后好多了。

What’s the nuance difference among 照顾, 照料, 看护/护理, and 看病?

照顾 (zhàogù): general “take care of,” daily needs or health; very common.
照料 (zhàoliào): similar to 照顾, a bit more formal/literary.
看护/护理: specifically nursing care, medical context.
看病: “see a doctor”/“get medical treatment,” not “take care of (someone).”

Could I say 给他照顾 to mean “give him care”?

Not as a verb phrase by itself. Use 照顾他. You can say 给他护理/提供照顾 (“provide care for him”) when 给/提供 has its own object, but 给他照顾 is ungrammatical as a stand-in for 照顾他.