Common health care terms & phrases

Question 1

Abnormal

Answer 1

Different from what is normal or usual

Question 2

Activities of daily living (ADL)

Answer 2

The activities usually done during a normal day in a person’s life

Question 3

Aphasia

Answer 3

The total or partial loss (a) of the ability to use or understand language (phasia)

Question 4

adaptive (assistive) device

Answer 4

Any item used by the person or staff to promote the person’s function or safety

Question 5

atrophy

Answer 5

The decrease (a) in size or the wasting away of tissue (trophy)

Question 6

biological sex

Answer 6

Male or female

Question 7

call light

Answer 7

Part of the call system allowing the person to signal the nurses’ station for help

Question 8

care plan

Answer 8

A written guide about the person’s care

Question 9

chronic

Answer 9

An on-going illness that is slow or gradual in onset; it has no known cure; it can be controlled and complications prevented with proper treatment

Question 10

cognitive function

Answer 10

Involves memory, thinking, reasoning, ability to understand, judgment, and behavior

Question 11

contracture

Answer 11

The lack of joint mobility caused by abnormal shortening of a muscle

Question 12

dementia

Answer 12

The loss (de) of cognitive and social function (mentia) caused by changes in the brain

Question 13

drug

Answer 13

A substance taken by mouth, injected, or applied to treat or prevent a disease or condition; medication, medicine

Question 14

dysphagia

Answer 14

Difficulty (dys) swallowing (phagia)

Question 15

dyspnea

Answer 15

Difficult, labored, or painful (dys) breathing (pnea)

Question 16

feces

Answer 16

The semi-solid mass of waste products in the colon that is expelled through the anus; stool or stools

Question 17

fever

Answer 17

Elevated body temperature

Question 18

Fowler’s position

Answer 18

A semi-sitting position; the head of the bed is raised between 45 and 60 degrees

Question 19

incontinence

Answer 19

Not being able to control urination (urinary incontinence) or bowel movements (fecal incontinence)

Question 20

orientation; oriented

Answer 20

Awareness of one’s self and others, one’s location, and the time; or awareness of one’s surroundings

Question 21

perineal

Answer 21

The genital and anal areas

Question 22

pressure injury

Answer 22

Localized damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue; the injury is usually over a bony prominence or related to a medical or other device and results from pressure or pressure in combination with shear

Question 23

semi-Fowler’s position

Answer 23

The head of the bed is raised 30 degrees; or the head of the bed is raised 30 degrees and the knee portion is raised 15 degrees

Question 24

stool

Answer 24

Excreted feces

Question 25

supine

Answer 25

The back-lying or dorsal recumbent position

Question 26

vital signs

Answer 26

Temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure

Question 27

voiding

Answer 27

Emptying urine from the bladder; urinating, urination