ATI VIDEOS Flashcards
Transduction
Sensory neurons detect tissue damage through neurotransmitter sensitization of nociceptors
Transmission
A pain impulse is transmitted from the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord, the brainstem, the thalamus, and finally the somatic sensory cortex, where the impulse is perceived as pain
Perception
the person’s conscious awareness of the pain
Modulation of pain
occurs as descending regulatory mechanisms help prevent continuous transmission of pain signals.
airborne precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles smaller than 5 µm in size to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
antibody
a type of protein the immune system produces to neutralize a threat of some kind, such as an infecting organism, a chemical, or some other foreign body
antimicrobial
able to destroy or suppress the growth of pathogens and other micro-organisms
antiseptic
a substance that reduces the number of pathogens present on a surface
asepsis
methods used to assure that an environment is as pathogen-free as possible
aseptic
as pathogen-free as possible
bacteriostasis
the inhibition of further bacterial growth
chlorhexidine
an antibacterial compound with substantial residual activity that is used as a liquid antiseptic and disinfectant
contact precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by the physical transfer of pathogens to a susceptible host’s body surface
contamination
the process of becoming unsterile or unclean
disinfectant
any chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms
droplet precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles larger than 5 µm in size to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
endemic
prevalent in or characteristic of a particular environment
endogenous
produced within an organism or system rather than externally caused
epidemic
extremely prevalent or widespread
exogenous
externally caused rather than produced within an organism or system
flora
the aggregate of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms normally found in a particular environment, such as the gastrointestinal tract or the skin
hyperendemic
at an especially high level of continued incidence in a population
immunosuppression
the inhibition of the body’s protective response to pathogenic invasion, usually as a result of disease, drug therapy, or surgery
infection
invasion and proliferation of pathogens in body tissues
isolation
the separation of an infected person from others for the period of communicability of a particular disease
medical asepsis
infection-control practices common in healthcare, such as basic handwashing
retrovirus
any of a large group of RNA-based viruses that tend to infect immunocompromised individuals, including the human immunodeficiency virus and many cancer-causing viruses
sepsis
the presence in blood or other tissues of pathogens or their toxins
transmission-based precaution
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases from people suspected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible pathogens that require measures beyond standard precautions to interrupt transmission, specifically, airborne, droplet, and contact precautions
vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the antibacterial action of the antibiotic vancomycin
acute pain
transient discomfort or physical distress signaling actual or potential tissue damage and characterized by an identifiable cause, a short duration, resolution with healing, and few long-term emotional consequences
addiction
referring to drug addiction: a dependence phenomenon characterized by impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving
adjuvant analgesia
a drug primarily used to treat something other than pain but also enhances pain relief
alternative therapies
treatment approaches, used to replace conventional medical treatments, which are not currently considered part of conventional Western medicine
analgesia
absence of sensitivity to pain
analgesic
substance used as a pain reliever; a drug that acts to reduce pain, including over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin as well as those available by prescription only
analgesic ceiling
the dose of a particular drug beyond which additional amounts of the same drug do not increase the analgesic effect
breakthrough pain
a flaring of moderate to severe pain despite therapeutic doses of analgesics
chronic pain
a feeling of physical distress or discomfort that persists over a long period of time and does not always have an identifiable cause
complimentary therapies
treatment approaches used to complement conventional medical treatments
dermatome
area of skin supplied with afferent nerve fibers from a single posterior spinal root
efficacy
the ability of a drug to achieve its desired effect
epidural anesthesia
medication injected via a catheter into the space between the dura mater and the lining of the spinal canal to create a regional nerve block; also called spinal anesthesia
nociceptor
a peripheral sensory receptor for pain, stimulated by various types of tissue injury
neuropathic pain
a type of pain usually felt as burning or tingling and resulting from direct stimulation of nerve tissue of the peripheral or central nervous system
non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
any of a group of drugs that reduce pain, fever, and swelling (inflammation), including aspirin
opioid
one of a group of analgesics that act on higher centers of the brain and spinal cord to modify perceptions of moderate to severe pain
pain threshold
the point at which a person feels pain
pain tolerence
the level of pain a person is willing to endure
paresthesia
an abnormal burning, prickling, tingling, or numbing sensation or hypersensitivity most often felt in the extremities and typically associated with neuropathic pain
patient controlled analgesia (PCA)
a drug delivery system that uses a computerized pump with a button the patient can press to deliver a dose of an analgesic through an intravenous catheter
physical dependence
an adaptive state characterized by a drug class-specific withdrawal syndrome induced with abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, or administration of an antagonist
progressive muscle relaxation
a systematic, stepwise approach to releasing tension in major muscle groups
somatic pain
generally well-localized pain that results from activation of peripheral pain receptors without injury to the peripheral nerve or central nervous system, such as musculoskeletal pain
spinal anesthesia
medication injected via a catheter into the space between the dura mater and the lining of the spinal canal to create a regional nerve block; also called epidural anesthesia
titration
the process of gradually adjusting the dose of a medication until the desired effect is achieved
tolerance
an adaptive state characterized by a decreasing response to repeated constant doses of a drug or the need for increasing doses to maintain a constant response
transmission
spreading of the pain “message” across the various nerve fibers linking the pain impulse to the brain
visceral pain
pain that results from activating the pain receptors of organs in the thoracic, pelvic, or abdominal cavities and is felt as a generalized aching or cramping sensation sometimes referred to the surface of the body
visual analog scale
a pain rating scale using a straight line; the left end of the line represents no pain, the right end represents the worst pain, and patients mark the place on the line that best represents the severity of their pain
wong baker FACES scale
a pain assessment tool that asks patients (often children) to select one of several faces indicating expressions that convey a range from no pain through the worst pain
World Health Organization (WHO)
the specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with health on an international level, functioning as a directing and coordinating authority on international health, and has developed a three-step pain “ladder” for cancer pain relief
antipyretic
a substance or procedure that reduces fever
apnea
temporary or transient cessation of breathing
auscultatory gap
temporary disappearance of sounds usually heard over the brachial artery, occurring when the cuff pressure is high and is gradually reduced, with the sounds again heard at a lower level of pressure (usually occurring in patients who have hypertension)
bradycardia
an abnormally slow pulse rate, usually fewer than 60 beats per minutes in an adult
bradypnea
an abnormally slow respiratory rate, usually fewer than 12 breaths per minutes in an adult
cardiac output
the amount of blood pumped into the arteries by the heart during one minute; the product of the heart rate and the stroke volume
diastolic pressure
the force exerted when the heart is at rest in between each beat; the lowest pressure exerted against the arterial walls at all times
dyspnea
the sensation of difficult or labored breathing
eupnea
normal respiration
febrile
feverish; pertaining to a fever
hypertension
common cardiovascular disorder, often with no symptoms, in which the blood exerts an abnormal amount of force on the inside walls of the arteries persistently and blood pressure readings are persistently above 120/80 mmHg
hypotension
a condition in which blood pressure falls below the normal range; not usually considered a problem unless it causes symptoms, such as dizziness or fainting
korotkoff sounds
a series of five sounds (four sounds followed by an absence of sound) heard during the auscultatory determination of blood pressure and produced by sudden distention of the artery because of the proximally placed pneumatic cuff
orthopnea
ability to breathe without difficulty only when in an upright position (sitting upright or standing)
orthostatic hypotension
a sudden drop in blood pressure resulting from a change in position, usually when standing up from a sitting or reclining position and often causing dizziness
oximetry
determination of the oxygen saturation of arterial blood using a photoelectric device called an oximeter
oxygen saturation
a clinical measurement of the percentage of hemoglobin that is bound with oxygen in the blood
palpation
the application of the fingers with light pressure to the surface of the body to determine the condition of the underlying parts
pulse deficit
the difference between the apical and the radial pulse rates. This condition may indicate a lack of peripheral perfusion for some of the heart contractions.
pulse pressure
the difference between the systolic and the diastolic blood pressures
S1
the first heart sound, heard when the atrioventricular (mitral and tricuspid) valves close
S2
the second heart sound, heard when the semilunar (aortic and pulmonic) valves close
Sims’ position
a side-lying position with the lowermost arm behind the body and the uppermost leg flexed
stroke volume
the amount of blood entering the aorta with each ventricular contraction
systolic pressure
the amount of force exerted within the arteries while the heart is actively pumping or contracting; the maximum pressure exerted against the arterial walls
tachycardia
an abnormally fast pulse rate, usually above 100 beats per minutes in an adult
tachypnea
an abnormally fast respiratory rate, usually more than 20 breaths per minutes in an adult
tympanic
pertaining to the ear canal or eardrum (tympanic membrane)
doff
to remove an article of clothing from the body
don
to put on (as with an article of clothing) or dress in
nosocomial
acquired in a hospital, as in nosocomial infection. The term the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now uses for infections associated with healthcare delivery in any setting (hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory settings, home care) is healthcare-associated infection (HAI).
perioperative
pertaining to the period extending from the time of hospitalization for surgery to the time of discharge; includes the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods
strikethough
penetration of pathogens, typically bacteria, through surgical drapes, dressings, and other materials, especially as a result of fluid accumulation
subungual
under a nail
aerobic
living only in the presence of oxygen
anaerobic
living only in the absence of oxygen
clean voided (midstream) specimen
sample of urine collected after beginning to urinate into the toilet, stopping the stream of urine, then urinating into a sterile collection cup
culture and sensitivity (C&S)
laboratory cultivation of micro-organisms in a body fluid or substance placed in a special growth medium, followed by the identification of the antibiotic agents that can kill the pathogenic micro-organisms grown
exudate
material such as fluid with a high content of protein and cellular debris that has escaped from blood vessels and has been deposited in tissues or on tissue surfaces, usually as a result of inflammation
guaiac
a tree resin used as a reagent in the detection of occult (hidden) blood
glycosuria
glucose in the urine
hematuria
blood in urine
hemolysis
rupture of red blood cells, resulting in the release of hemoglobin into the plasma
ketones
any of a class of organic compounds (such as acetone) that are the normal end products of the metabolism of stored fats; accumulation in the urine (ketonuria) is a sign of hyperglycemia in people who have diabetes mellitus
lancet
a sharp, pointed device used to make small incisions or punctures in the skin
leukocyte esterase
an enzyme found in some white blood cells, the presence of which in urine is a sign of infection
melena
black, tarry feces created by the action of intestinal secretions on blood
occult blood
blood present in such small amounts as to be detectable only by specific diagnostic tests
phlebotomy
the process of accessing a vein for blood sampling or treatment
point of care
at or near the site or time of patient care, as in point-of-care testing
polyuria
excretion of abnormally large amounts of urine
septicemia
the presence of infective agents or their toxins in the bloodstream
sputum
mucous secretions from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea
tourniquet
a stretchable device used to compress blood vessels either to stop bleeding or to assist in obtaining blood samples
vacutainer
a trade name for an evacuated blood collection tube system
venipuncture
insertion of a needle into a vein to withdraw blood samples or to establish ongoing access to a vein
atrophy
decrease in size, wasting away, or progressive decline of a body part or tissue
contracture
a deformity that results from abnormal shortening of muscle tissue, making the muscle highly resistant to stretching
distal
farthest from the origin of a part
dorsiflexion
upward bending of the toes and the foot
eversion
turning of a body part away from the body’s midline
gait belt
a device, usually a strap of cotton webbing with a buckle, designed to be placed around a patient’s waist to assist with transferring and ambulating the patient
hypertrophy
increase in the volume of a tissue or organ produced entirely by enlargement of existing cells
plantar flexion
bending the toes and the foot downward
pronation
movement of a body part so that its front or ventral surface faces downward
alopecia
hair loss
buccal
pertaining to or directed toward the bucca (cheek), the fleshy portion of the side of the face that makes up the lateral wall of the oral cavity
canthus
the angular junction of the eyelids at either corner of the eye
cheilosis
manifestation of vitamin B complex deficiency characterized by reddened lips with fissures at the angles of the mouth
corn
often painful and inflamed circumscribed lesion of thickened skin, usually on the toes and caused by pressure or friction from ill-fitting shoes
dental caries
tooth decay
excoriation
skin abrasion typically resulting from scratching
expectorate
to expel fluid or secretions from the mouth, throat, or lungs by coughing and/or spitting
fanfolding
applying the proximal half of a piece of linen in successive layers lengthwise for the purpose of tucking it under the patient and rolling the patient over it while stripping or making an occupied bed
fissure
a break, slit, or tear in soft tissue, often at the junction of skin and mucous membrane
gingiva
the part of the oral mucosa covering the tooth-bearing border of the jaw; also called gums (plural: gingivae)
halitosis
bad breath
incontinence
involuntary release of urine from the bladder or feces via the anus
incontinent pad
disposable material with waterproof backing placed under a patient’s buttocks to contain body fluids
lunula
active area of nailbed growth at the base of the fingernails and toenails
maceration
softening or dissolution of tissue after lengthy exposure to fluid
NPO
nothing by mouth
pediculosis
lice infestation
perineum
area between the anus and the posterior portion of the external genitalia
periodontal
surrounding or near a tooth
semi-Fowler’s position
position with the head of the bed raised approximately 30 degrees
smegma
thick, cheesy secretion that accumulates under the labia minora or the male foreskin
stomatitis
any inflammatory disorder of the mouth
