EMT Glossary page 1345 Flashcards
Multisystem trauma
Trauma in which more than one major body system is involved.
Musculoskeletal system
The system of bones and muscle plus connective tissue that provides support and protection to the body and permits motion.
Myxedema coma
A life-threatening late complication of hypothyroidism that may be precipitated by exposure to cold temperatures as well as to illness, infection, trauma, or certain drugs.
Narcotics
Central nervous system depressants that are derived from opium (opiates) or from synthetic opium (opioids).
Nasal airway
A nasopharyngeal airway.
Nasal bones
The bones that form the bed of the nose.
Nasal cannula
An oxygen delivery device that consists of two prongs that are inserted into the nose of the patient. The oxygen concentration delivered is from 24-44%.
Nasopharyngeal airway
A curved, hollow rubber tube with a flange or flare at the top end and a bevel at the distal end that is inserted into the nose. It fits in the nasopharynx and extends into the pharynx providing a passage for air.
Nasopharynx
The portion of the pharynx that extends from the nostrils to the soft palate.
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
A system administered by the US Secretary of Homeland Security to provide a consistent approach to disaster management by all local, state, and federal employees who respond to such incidents.
Nature of illness (NOI)
The type of medical condition or complaint a patient is suffering from.
Neglect
The provision of insufficient attention or respect to someone who has a claim to that attention.
Negligence
The act of deviating from an accepted standard of care through carelessness, inattention, disregard, inadvertence, or oversight, which results in further injury to the patient.
Neonate
A child from birth to 1 month of age.
Nerve agents
Agents that block the action of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the plasma of the blood, red blood cells, and nervous tissue. The most severe effects are those to the nervous tissue.
Nervous system
The body system including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves that controls the voluntary and involuntary activity of the human body.
Neurogenic hypotension
Condition associated with injury to the spinal cord that results in vasodilation and relative hypovolemia. Also called spinal-vascular shock or neurogenic shock; see also spinal shock.
Neurogenic shock
A type of distributive shock that results from massive vasodilation; also called vasogenic shock.
Neurological deficit
Any deficiency in the nervous system’s functioning, typically exhibited as a motor, sensory, or cognitive deficit.
Neuropathy
Any disease of the nerves. Peripheral neuropathy is a syndrome in which weakness, numbness, tingling, or other neuropathic symptoms are experienced in the extremities, especially the hands and feet.
Neutron radiation
A powerful and very damaging particle that penetrates several hundred meters of air and easily passes through the body. Its greatest threat to life occurs in close proximity to an active nuclear reactor or nuclear bomb ignition.
Nitroglycerin
Medication that dilates the blood vessels, increasing blood flow through the coronary arteries and decreasing the workload of the heart; often prescribed for patients with a history of chest pain.
Nocturnal enuresis
Involuntary bed-wetting at night.
Nonhemorrhagic hypovolemic shock
Shock caused by loss of fluid from the intravascular space with red blood cells and hemoglobin remaining within the vessels.
Nonrebreather mask
An oxygen delivery device that consists of a reservoir and one-way valve. It can deliver up to 95% to 98% oxygen to the patient.
Nontraumatic brain injury
A medical injury to the brain that is not caused by external trauma. Stroke is an example of a nontraumatic brain injury.
Nontraumatic fracture
A broken bone resulting from a disease that causes degeneration and dramatic weakening of the bone, making it prone to fracture; also called pathologic fracture.
Nonurgent move
A patient move made when no immediate threat to life exists.