Definitions Flashcards
Adduction
Moving toward the body
Acute
Problem that begins rapidly and typically lasts 7-10 days, then the person recovers.
ADL
Activities of daily living. Bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, communicating, and moving
Admission
Administrative procedure for entering a facility, the opposite of discharge
Advance directives
Living will. A legal document used by a resident to communicate their wishes about the care they want if the become incapacitated and cannot make decisions.
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Caused by HIV. Transmitted by contact with blood and other body fluids such as semen and vaginal secretions
Agitation
Movements that are irregular, rapid, or violent. State of excitement, often troubled.
Alzheimer’s
A progressive, incurable disease that affects the brain and causes memory loss and eventually death
Ambulation
Moving about, walking
Amputation
Cutting a limb (for example and arm or leg) from the body
Antibiotics
Drugs that reduce or kill microorganisms
Anxiety
An uneasiness in the mind
Aphasia
Condition in which a person has difficulty putting thoughts into words
Arteries
Blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to all parts of the body
Arthritis
Joint inflammation that causes pain and limits movement in affected joints
Aspirate
To breathe in or draw in by suction
Assault
To touch the body of another person without consent
Axillary
Armpit
Bacteria
One-celled microorganism that may cause infection
Biohazardous
Anything that is harmful or potentially harmful to humans or the environment, contaminated material.
Bladder training
A care plan to help a resident regain voluntary control of urination.
Blood pressure
Pressure of blood in the arteries
Body fluids
Natural fluids in the body such as blood, semen, and secretions which may transmit disease.
Body mechanics
Principles of using your body efficiently to do something.
BP
Blood pressure
Cardiac arrest
The stoppage of the heart
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPR procedure to maintain breathing and circulation in a person experiencing cardiac arrest
Care plan
A written, interdisciplinary document developed for each resident, listing the resident’s needs and goals as well as the actions and approaches that staff will take to help the resident meet their goals.
Cataracts
Cloudy film that develops on the lens of the eye and reduces sight.
Catheter
A small tube used to drain fluid
Cerebral vascular accident
CVA condition that occurs when blood flowing to the brain is interrupted, also called stroke
Charge nurse
Nurse who has day-to-day responsibility for supervising nurse assistants and resident care.
Chemotherapy
Use of chemical agent to treat or control disease
CHF
Congestive heart failure
Chronic
An ongoing illness or condition that does not have a cure, usually a gradual onset, and lasts for a long time
Circulation
Flow of blood throughout the body
Circulatory system
Body system that includes the heart and blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the body and remove carbon dioxide
Clarification
Make sure something is understood
Cleaning
Free of germs that cause infection or disease
Cognitive impairment
Disruption in knowledge, memory, awareness, or judgement.
Communicable
Disease that spreads from one person to another
Congestive heart failure
Condition that occurs when the heart muscle weakens and the heart becomes ineffective in moving blood through the body
Contamination
Impure or unclean
Contracture
Deformity caused by a permanent shortening of a muscle or scar tissue
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chronic inflammatory disease of bronchial passages and lungs, three most common types of disease are bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma
CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cuing
Telling of showing a resident the steps in a task
CVA
Cerebral vascular accident
Cyanotic
Bluish or purplish discoloration of the ski. Caused by deficient oxygenation of the blood
Decubitus ulcer
Pressure ulcer. An opening, or wound, that appears in pressure areas of skin overlying a bony area in an immobile person
Dehydration
A serious condition that can occur if a resident does not have adequate fluid intake.
Dementia
Loss of mental functions such as memory, thinking, and reasoning
Diabetes
A common disease involving a problem in the body’s production or use of insulin
Dialysis
A method used to artificially remove waste from the blood when the kidneys are not functioning well.
Diastolic
The bottom number in the blood pressure reading, reflects the pressure of blood in vessels when heart is at rest.
Dysphasia
A condition that causes a problem chewing or swallowing food, liquid, or medication
Dyspnea
Difficulty breathing
Edema
Swelling because of fluid gain, most commonly observed in the legs and ankles
Elimination
Process of ridding the body of urine and stool
Emesis
Related to vomiting, as in an emesis basin
Emesis basin
Special basin used to catch vomit
Epilepsy
Disorder of the nervous system that causes seizures and may also cause a developmental disability
Ethics
Knowledge, awareness, or study of good and bad, right and wrong, and moral duty
Fecal impaction
Condition that may occur when constipation is not treated
Fowler’s position
Sitting upright
Gerontology
A branch of knowledge dealing with aging
Guard belt
Gait belt. Used for safety to transfer and ambulate residents
Hallucination
Seeing or hearing things that are not really there
HIPPA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Law that covers privacy issues related to the resident’s health care, including who has access to information
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus, viral infection transmitted by contact with blood and other bodily fluids such as semen and vaginal secretions
Hospice
Program with specially trained interdisciplinary team that cares for a terminally ill resident who is expected to die within 6 months
Hydration
Maintaining adequate fluid in the body
Hyperglycemia
Blood sugar level that is too high
Hypertension
High blood pressure, leading cause of stroke
Hypoglycemia
Blood sugar level that is too low
I&O
Intake and output
Incontinence
Inability to hold urine or stool
Indwelling catheter
A plastic tube inserted into the body to drain fluids
Infection
Condition produced when an infective agent becomes established in or on a suitable host
Infection control
Methods used to prevent the transmission of infection
Inservice
Educational programs taught to staff while on the job
Insomnia
Inability to sleep enough
Insulin
Hormone involved in breaking down carbohydrates in the body, it can be given as a shot to control diabetes
Integumentary system
Body system made up of the skin, nails, and hair
Isolation
Set apart from others
MSDS
Material safety data sheet, written information sheets describing chemicals used in a facility
Microorganisms
Viruses, bacteria, or fungi that cannot be seen with the naked eye; also called germs
Mobility
Capable of moving or being moved
Multiple sclerosis
Progressive disabling disease that affects nerve fibers
Musculoskeletal system
Body systems made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints
Nasal cannula
Two-pronged tube inserted into the nostrils to deliver oxygen
Neglect
Failure to do something that should have been done
Negligence
Failure to act in the same way that a reasonable person with the same training would act in the same situation.
Nonverbal communication
Sending and receiving messages without the use of words
Objective
Information that can be observed, factual, not subjective
Ombudsman
Person required by law to investigate complaints by residents or other violations of rights
Open-ended
Questions that encourage residents to talk, rather than questions with yes or no answers
Orientation
To be shown something new, ability to accurately identify person, place, time
Osteoporosis
Condition in which bones become weak and brittle due to loss of minerals, especially calcium
Ostomy
A surgical opening from the intestine to outside the body
Palliative
Care focuses on comfort and symptom relief rather than cure
Paralysis
Loss of voluntary movement
Paralysis
Loss of voluntary movement
Parkinson’s
Neurological disease that affects motor skills
Pathogenic
Microorganisms or substances that can produce disease
Perineal
Area of the body between the anus and the external genitals
Plaque
Fatty deposits on blood vessel walls
Podiatrist
Physician specializing in the care and treatment of the feet
Positioning
an act of placing or arranging
Postmortem
After death
Prosthesis
A device that substitutes and functions in the place of a missing body part, such as dentures
Psychosocial
Involving psychological and social aspects of mental health
Radial
Inner wrist
Range of motion
Extent to which a joint can be moved safely
Rehabilitation
The process of restoring to a former state
Respiration
Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs
Respiration
Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs
Restraint
Device used to restrict movement
Resuscitate
To revive from apparent death
Sensory system
Body system of sense organs that gain information from the world outside the body
Sputum
Mucus from lungs
Sun downing
Situation later in the day when a resident may become irritable, combative, tearful, or withdrawn, or wander or become confused
Supine
Lying on the back
Systolic
The top number of the blood pressure, reflects pressure in vessels when the heart is beating
Tympanic
Eardrum
Urethra
The canal in males and females that carries urine from the bladder; in males also serves as the duct for sperm
