Chapter 2 Workforce Safety and Wellness: Vital Vocabulary Flashcards
Reaction to stress that occurs during a stressful situation.
acute stress reaction
The spread of an organism in aerosol form, such as droplets or dust.
airborne transmission
A fear reaction in which a person’s judgment seems to disappear entirely; it is particularly dangerous because it may cause mass panic among others.
blind panic
Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans; include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus.
bloodborne pathogens
The exhaustion of physical or emotional strength.
burnout
Any disease that can be spread from person to person or from animal to person.
communicable disease
A reaction in which a person subconsciously transforms his or her anxiety into a bodily dysfunction; the person may be unable to see or hear or may become partially paralyzed.
conversion hysteria
An event that overwhelms the ability to cope with the experience, either at the scene or later.
critical incident
A process which utilizes trained counselors who confront responses to critical incidents and help to defuse them, directing emergency services personnel toward physical and emotional equilibrium.
critical incident stress management (CISM)
Prolonged or excessive stress
cumulative stress reaction
Psychological ways to relieve stress; they are usually automatic or subconscious; they include denial, regression, projection, and displacement.
defense mechanisms
Reaction to stress that occurs after a stressful situation.
delayed stress reaction
An early response to a serious medical emergency, in which the severity of the emergency is diminished or minimized. Denial is the first coping mechanism for people who believe they are going to die.
denial
Exposure to or transmission of a communicable disease from one person to another by physical contact.
direct contact
A defense mechanism characterized by the redirection of an emotion from one person to another.
displacement
A counseling program to help with situations that may affect the health and well-being of emergency medical services professionals.
employee assistance program (EAP)
A physiologic response to a profound stressor that helps a person deal with the situation at hand; features increased sympathetic tone and results in dilation of the pupils, increased heart rate, dilation of the bronchi, mobilization of glucose, shunting of blood away from the gastrointestinal tract and cerebrum, and increased blood flow to the skeletal muscles.
fight-or-flight response
Exposure or transmission of disease from one person to another by contact with a contaminated inanimate object.
indirect contact
The invasion of a host or host tissues by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, with or without sign or symptoms of disease.
infection
Procedures to reduce transmission of infection among patients and health care personnel.
infection control
A disease that is caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body. or one that is capable of being transmitted with or without direct contact.
infectious disease
A delayed stress reaction to a previous incident, often the result of one or more unresolved issues concerning the incident.
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A defense mechanism characterized by blaming unacceptable feelings, motives, or desires on other.
projection
A defense mechanism characterized by a return to more childlike behavior while under stress.
regression
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, or other potential exposure risks of communicable disease.
standard precautions
A reaction of the body to any agent or situation that requires the person the adapt.
stress
Any agent or situation that causes stress, whether good or bad.
stressor
The way in which an infectious agent is spread: contact (direct or indirect), airborne, foodborne, or vector-borne.
transmission
