Key Terms Flashcards
Abbreviation
A shortened form of a word.
Abduction
Moving a body part away from the body.
Abuse
The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish. Can be verbal (oral, written, or gestured), physical (done to the patient through rough handling, hitting, slapping, pinching, etc), emotional/mental (humiliation, harassment, threats of punishment or deprivation), or sexual (harassment, coercion, or assault).
Adduction
Moving a body part toward the body.
Admission
Resident arrival to reside at the facility.
Advance Directive
The resident’s spoken and/or written instruction about future medical care and treatment.
Active Range of Motion
Exercises are done by the resident themselves.
Activity Director (AD)
An individual who plans the activities for the residents and assists them to socialize and to stay physically and mentally active.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Personal daily care tasks including: bathing, dressing, caring for teeth and hair, toileting, eating, and drinking.
Activity Therapy
Increased activities with a goal.
Acute
A current illness that has severe symptoms and may be the result of a sudden onset.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
A disease of the human immune system caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The illness interferes with the immune system, making those with AIDS much more likely to get infections. Although considered a sexually transmitted disease, it is also spread through blood, infected needles, or to the fetus from its mother.
Administrator
Manages all departments within the facility.
Adult Day Care
Care given at a facility during day time hours; generally for individuals who need some assistance and/or supervision but are not seriously ill or disabled, and usually reside outside of the facility.
Advanced Practice Nurse
A registered nurse having education beyond the basic nursing education and certified by a nationally recognized professional organization in a nursing specialty, or meeting other criteria established by a Board of Nursing.
Agitation
Restlessness; emotional state of excitement or restlessness.
Airbourne Precautions
Used for diseases that are transmitted through the air after expelled.
Alignment
Put in a straight line; shoulders directly above hips, head back and neck straight, arms and legs in a natural position.
Alzheimer’s Disease
A progressive, degenerative and irreversible disease. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the formation of tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits in the brain.
Ambulation
Walking
Amputation
The removal of some or all of a body part, usually as a result of injury or disease.
Antibiotic
Compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.
Anxiety
Uneasiness or fear of a situation or condition.
Aphasia
Inability to speak, or to speak clearly.
Expressive Aphasia
May be slow to speak or to formulate sentences.
Receptive Aphasia
May be slow to respond to communication attempts due to delay in processing the communication and the response.
Apathy
Lack of interest.
Apical Pulse
Located on the left side of the chest, under the breastbone; taken with a stethoscope.
Arthritis
A joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints.
Aspiration
Inhalation of food or drink into lungs; which has the potential to cause pneumonia or death.
Assignment Sheet
A document which lists the residents assigned to a caregiver and the specifics regarding care to be provided.
Assisted Living
Facilities where residents live who need limited assistance, but do not require skilled care.
Assistive Devices
Equipment used to help resident increase independence.
Atrophy
Wasting away, decreasing in size, and weakening of muscles.
Bipolar Disorder
A psychiatric diagnosis that describes mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The resident experiences extreme highs and lows.
Blood Borne Pathogens
Microorganisms in human blood which can cause infection and disease in humans.
Body Fluids
Saliva, sputum, urine, feces, semen, vaginal secretions, and pus or other wound drainage.
Body Mechanics
Using the body properly to coordinate balance and movement.
Bony Prominence
Area of the body where the bone is in close proximity to the skin (ankles, hip bones, elbows, etc.).
Brachial Pulse
Located at the bend of the elbow, used for taking blood pressure measurement.
Burnout
A condition of feeling stressed and/or overworked to the pint that the care provided to residents is negatively affected.
Call Light
Means to communicate to staff a need for assistance. The call light should be available to the resident at all times.
Calories
The fuel or energy value of food.
Cane
Assistive device used by the resident with weakness on one side.
Carbohydrates
The main source of energy for all body functions.
Care Plan
A plan developed for each resident by the interdisciplinary team to achieve certain goals.
Care Team
People with different education and experience who help care for residents. It is often called the “interdisciplinary team” or “IDT”.
Carotid Pulse
Located on either side of the neck, supplies the head and neck with oxygenated blood.
Cardiac Arrest
Heart function and circulation stop.
Catastrophic Reaction
Overreacting to stimuli in an unreasonable way.
Catheter
Tube used to drain urine from the bladder.
Causative Agent
A biological agent (pathogen) that causes disease.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Federal government agency that issues guidelines relative to protection and manners to improve health.
Cerebral Palsy
A group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Stroke; blood supply is suddenly cut off to the brain.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
An individual who has completed a state approved course and has successfully completed certification testing.
Chain of Command
The line of authority in the facility which addresses to whom each employee/department reports.
Chain of Infection
An illustration to describe how a disease is transmitted from one person (or source) to another.
Chemical Restraint
Any drug that is used for discipline or convenience and not require to treat medical symptoms.
Chemotherapy
Treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen; often administered intravenously (IV).
Cheyne-Stokes
A pattern of breathing with gradual increase in depth and sometimes rate, followed by a decreasing result in apnea (no breathing); the cycles ordinarily are 30 seconds to 2 minutes in duration, with 5-30 seconds of apnea.
Chronic
The disease or condition is long term or will be long lasting.
Chronological Order
The sequence in which events occur.
Choking
A complete blockage of the airway requiring immediate action.
Claustrophobia
Fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms.
Cliches
Phrases that are used frequently and which often have a different meaning, making it difficult for the resident to understand.
Closed Bed
A bed completely made with the bedspread and blankets in place.
Clostridium Difficile (C-Diff)
Bacteria which causes severe watery diarrhea and other intestinal disease when competing bacteria have been wiped out by antibiotics. It is spread by spores that are difficult to kill and can be carried on the hands of caregivers who have direct contact with residents or an environmental surface (floors, toilets, bedpans).
Cognition
Ability to think logically/quickly.
Cognitive Impairment
Inability related to thinking, concentrating, and/or remembering.
Colostomy
Section of the colon is removed and the stool will be evacuated through a stoma and emptied into a bag adhered to the abdomen of the resident.
Combustion
The process of burning.
Communication
The process of exchanging information with others.
Condom Catheter
External catheter that has an attachment on the end that fits over the penis; also called a Texas catheter.
Confidentiality
Maintaining information as private.
Confusion
Inability to think clearly, trouble focusing, difficulty making decisions, feelings of disorientation.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
The heart is severely damaged and cannot pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body effectively. Blood may back up in other areas of the body, and fluid may build up in the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, arms, and legs.
Contact Precautions
Used when there is risk for transmitting or contracting a microorganism from touching an infected object or person.
Contracture
Permanent stiffening of a joint and muscle.
Convenience
Any action taken by the facility to control a resident’s behavior or manage a resident’s behavior with a lesser amount of effort by the facility and not in the resident’s best interest.
Cultural Differences
Beliefs, values, habits, diet, and health practices that relate to a person’s culture or religion.
Cultural Diversity
The variety of people living and working together in the facility.
Culture
A system of behaviors people learn from the people by which they are surrounded.
Culture Change
A philosophy that focuses on providing “person-centered” care to residents and creating a positive work environment for healthcare workers.
Cyanotic
Bluish discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, lips, or nails due to lack of sufficient oxygen in the blood.
Dangle
Sitting up with feet over the edge of the bed.
Defense Mechanisms
Unconscious behaviors used to release tension or cope with stress of uncomfortable, threatening situations or feelings.
Deformities
Abnormally formed parts of the body.
Dehydration
Excessive loss of fluid from the body.
Denial
Rejection of a thought or feeling.
Dependent
Requires staff assistance to carry out activities of daily living.
Delirium
State of sudden severe confusion that is usually temporary.
Delusions
Believing things that are untrue. Fixed false beliefs.
Demetia
Serious loss of mental abilities (thinking, remembering, reasoning, and communication).
Depression
State of low mood and lack of interest in activity.
Dermis
Inner layer of skin.
Diabetes Mellitus
The body does not produce enough, or properly use, insulin.
Diarrhea
Frequent elimination of liquid or semi-liquid stool.
Dietician
Pans menus, special diets, and monitors nutritional needs of the resident.
Digestion
The process of breaking down food so that is can be absorbed by the cells of the body.
Direct Contact
Touching an infected person or their secretions.
Discharge
Resident departure from the facility; no longer a resident of the facility.
Discipline
Any action taken by the facility for the purpose of punishing or penalizing residents.
Disinfection
Chemicals used to decrease the spread of pathogens by destroying them.
Disorientation
Confused relative to time and/or place.
Displacement
Transferring a strong negative feeling to something or someone else.
Disposable
A product designed for short-term use with most products only intended for single use.
Diastolic Blood Pressure
The “bottom number”. The phase when the heart relaxes. The pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.
DNR
“Do Not Resuscitate”; no heroic measures are to be taken should the resident’s respiration cease.
Dorsiflexion
Bending backward.
Draw Sheet
Turning sheet that is placed under residents who are unable to assist with turning, lifting, or moving up in bed.
Droplet Precautions
Used when the disease-causing microorganism does not stay airborne and only travels a short distance after being expelled.
Elastic/Compression Stockings
Stockings that decrease blood pooling in the lower extremities. The stockings help with circulation in the lower legs and decrease the risk for blood clots. They are also referred to as TED (Thrombo Embolic Deterrent) hose.
Elimination
The process of expelling solid wastes that are not absorbed into the cells of the body.
Elopement
A resident exiting the facility whose whereabouts are unknown to the staff.
Emesis
Vomit.
Enema
Specific amount of water flowed into the colon to eliminate stool.
Entrapment
A resident’s body part becomes lodged between the bed frame and/or mattress and the bed rail.
Environment
Circumstances or conditions that surround an individual.
Epidermis
Outer layer of skin.
Epilepsy
Brain disorder in which a resident had reported seizures (convulsions). Medication is ordered to control/lessen the seizure activity.
Evacuation Plan
Plan developed by the facility by which residents would be relocated to a safe area within the facility, outside the facility, or to an alternate location.
Expiration
Exhaling air out of the lungs.
Extension
Straightening a body part.
Fainting
Sudden loss of consciousness because of inadequate blood supply to the brain.
Fats
Help the body store energy and use certain vitamins.
Fecal Impaction
Hard stool in the rectum that cannot be expelled.
Fire Drill
Plan executed frequently to help workers learn what to do in the case of a fire.
Flammable
Easily ignited and capable of burning quickly.
Flexion
Bending a body part.
Fluid Overload
Condition in which the body is unable to handle the amount of fluids consumed.
Fluid Restriction
A restriction in the amount of fluids a resident may have per day; usually divided between nursing and dietary (fluids with meals).
Foot Care
Care of the feet, including inspection for areas of concern to be reported to the nurse.
Fowler’s Position
Head of the bed elevated 45 to 60 degrees.
Fracture
Broken bone.
Fracture Pan
Bedpan used for a resident who cannot assist with raising hips on the regular bedpan.
Friction
Skin repeatedly rubs another surface.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Chronic condition in which the liquid contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus.
Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube)
Tube placed through the abdomen directly into the stomach and used to provide nourishment.
Genitals
The external male or female sexual organs.
Hallucinations
Seeing/hearing things that are not there. False sensory perceptions.
Hand Hygiene
Hand washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub.
Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI)
Infection acquired in a hospital or other healthcare setting; also known as a nosocomial infection.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Law that requires health information to be kept secure (protected) and private.
Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)
Blood flow to the heart is completely blocked and oxygen cannot reach the cells in the region that is blocked.
Hemiparesis
Weakness on one side of the body.
Hemiplegia
Paralysis on one side of the body, weakness, or loss of movement.
Hemorrhage
Excessive loss of blood from a blood vessel.
Hemorrhoids
Enlarged veins of the rectum.
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver caused by infection.
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Federal law that protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information; sets national standards for the security of electronic protected health information; and protects identifiable information being used to analyze patient safety events and improve patient safety.
HIV/AIDS
Life-threatening condition that damages the immune system and interferes with the body’s ability to fight disease.
Hoarding
Collecting and storing items in a guarded manner.
Home Health Care
Care provided in a person’s home.
Hospice
Care for individuals who have an estimated six months or less to live; hospice provides physical and emotional care and comfort.
Housekeeping Department
Responsible to maintain the facility in a clean and sanitary manner.
Hydration
The supply and retention of adequate water to keep a person from dehydrating.
Hypertension
High blood pressure.
Hyperthyroidism
Overactive thyroid gland or an excess of thyroid hormone.
Hypotension
Low blood pressure.
Hypothyroidism
Underactive thyroid gland or a below normal production of thyroid hormone.
Ileostomy
Section of the intestine is removed and the stool will be evacuated through a stoma and emptied into a bag adhered to the skin of the resident.
Immune System
Protects the body from disease.
Incontinence
Inability to control the bladder or bowels.
Independant
Able to carry out activities of daily living without staff assistance.
Indirect Contact
Transmission of a disease without physical contact (like touching a common object).
Indwelling Catheter
Catheter that remains in the bladder for a period of time.
Infection Control
Methods used to control and prevent the spread of tiny living things that are always present in the environment, however are not visible to the naked eye.
Influenza
An infectious disease caused by a virus. The most common symptoms include chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue, and general discomfort. It is more severe of a disease than the common cold.
Informed Consent
A person, after being informed of the potential negative outcomes, makes informed decisions about their healthcare.
Inspiration
Breathing air into the lungs.
Integumentary System
Skin.
Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation)
A developmental disability that causes below average mental functioning.
Interdisciplinary Team
Professionals from each discipline within the nursing facility who meet to discuss and plan the care of the resident.
Interventions
Actions to be taken by the staff in response to an event or behavior.
Intravenous (IV)
Refers to a soft, flexible catheter (tube) that is inserted by a nurse or physician into a vein.
Involuntary Seclusion
Separation of a resident from other residents or from their room or confinement to their own room against the resident’s sill, or the will of the resident’s legal representative.
Isolation
Measure taken to isolate the potentially harmful microorganism and prevent spread to other residents.
IV Pump
Device to regulate the flow of fluid into the vein. The pump will alarm is there is a problem with flow, and must be managed by the licensed nurse.
Jaundice
A yellow/gold tint to the skin and eyes seen in liver disease such as hepatitis or liver cancer.
Jejunostomy (J-Tube)
Tube placed into the second part of the small intestines and used to provide nourishment.
Lateral Position
Lying on side, either left or right.
Laundry Department
Oversees laundering of facility linens and resident’s personal clothing.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
A licensed professional who has completed 1 to 2 years of education and has completed an exam for licensure.
Localized Infection
An infection contained to a specific body part; thus the infection is localized.
Logrolling
To turn, or move the resident without disturbing the alignment of their body.
Long Term Care (LTC)
Care for persons who require 24 hour care and assistance.
Lymphatic System
Removes excess fluids and waste products from the tissues of the body.
Maintenance Department
Maintains facility and grounds in good repair.
Manic Depression
Fluctuation between deep depression to extreme activity, including high energy, little sleep, big speeches, rapid mood changes, high self-esteem, overspending, and/or overspending.
Mechanical Lift
A hydraulic or electric device used to transfer dependent or obese residents between surfaces. The lift may also have a scale to weigh the resident.
Medical Director
Physician who provides oversight to the nursing staff regarding care provided to the residents.
Medical Doctor (MD)
Physician.
Medical Symptom
An indication or characteristic of a physical or psychological condition.
Mental Health
Level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder.
Mental Illness
Disruption in a person’s ability to function at a normal level in a family, home, or community; Often producing inappropriate behaviors.
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
An antibiotic resistant infection often acquired in hospitals and other facilities; spread by direct physical contact.
Minerals
Compounds found in the diet or dietary supplements; builds body tissue, regulates body fluids, promotes bone and tooth formation, and affects nerve and muscle function.
Misappropriation
The deliberate misplacement, exploitation, or wrongful temporary or permanent use of a resident’s belongings or money without the resident’s consent.
Mode of Transmission
How the pathogen travels from one person to another. Transmission can happen through the air, or through direct or indirect contact.
Mottling
The skin, especially on the hands and feet, appear blue and blotchy; caused by slow blood circulation. The underside of the body may become darker. There may be a bluish grey color around the mouth or paleness in the face.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
A progressive disease affecting the central nervous system.
Nasogastric Tube
Tube placed through the nose into the stomach and used to provide nourishment.
Neglect
Failure to provide help or care when needed.
Non-Verbal Communication
Communication without using words, such as facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, gestures, touch, body language, etc.
NPO
Nothing by mouth.
Nosocomial Infection
Infection acquired in a hospital or other healthcare setting; also known as Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI).
Nutrients
Substances found in food which provide nourishment.
Nutrition
Nourishment. The process by which the body takes in food to maintain health.
Objective Information
Information based on what is factually seen, heard, touched, or smelled. A direct observation.
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA)
Law passed by federal government establishing minimum standards for nursing home care and for nursing assistant training.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Uncontrollable need to repeat or perform actions in a repetitive or sequential manner.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Federal governmental agency that protects workers from hazards on the job.
Occupational Therapist (OT)
A therapist who helps residents to learn to compensate for their disabilities and assist them with activities of daily living.
Occupational Therapy
Formal therapy which assists the resident to learn to compensate for their disabilities and assist then with activities of daily living.
Occupied Bed
Bed made while a resident is in the bed.
Offload
Assisting a resident to stand up to completely remove the pressure from the area.
Ombudsman
Resident advocate who investigates complaints and assists to achieve agreement between parties, often defending the rights of residents.
Open Bed
Folding the linen down to the foot of the bed.
Optometrist
Provides eye care for the residents.
Oral Care
Care of mouth, teeth, and gums. Cleaning the teeth, gums, tongue, inside of mouth, and dentures (if used).
Orthostatic Hypotension
A drop in blood pressure when a resident suddenly rises from a lying to a a sitting or standing position.
Osteoporosis
Condition when the bones become brittle and weak; may be due to age, lack of hormones, not enough calcium in bones, alcohol, or lack of exercise.
Ostomy
Creation of an opening from an area inside the body to the outside of the body.
Pacing
Walking back and forth in the same area.
Pain
An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience arising from actual or potential tissue damage.
Palliative Care
Care that focuses on the comfort and dignity of the person rather than curing them.
Panic Disorder
Fearful, scared, or terrified for no specific reason.
Paralysis
Loss or impairment of the ability to move a body part, usually as a result of damage to its nerve supply.
Paraplegia
Loss of function of lower body and legs.
Paranoid Schizophrenia
A schizophrenic disorder in which the person has false beliefs that someone (or people) are plotting against them.
Passive Range of Motion
Caregivers support and move the resident’s joints through the range of motion when the resident cannot move on their own.
Parkinson’s Disease
A progressive movement disorder.
Pathogen
Harmful microorganism; the causative agent.
Pediculosis
An infestation of lice.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
Tube placed endoscopically, directly into the stomach and used to provide nourishment. Often called a G-Tube.
Peptic Ulcer
Ulcer that forms in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus.
Perineal Area
The area of the body between the genitals and the anus.
Perineum
The area between the anus and the vulva or scrotum.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
A soft, flexible catheter that is inserted by a specially trained nurse or physician into a vein for administration of medication, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), chemotherapy, or blood products for an extended period of time.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)
Condition in which the extremities (commonly the legs and feet) do not have enough blood circulation due to fatty deposits in the vessels that harden over time.
Personal Inventory Record
Record of personal items brought to the facility and belonging to the resident.
Person-Centered Care
A philosophical approach to nursing home care that honors and respects the voice of elders and those working closest with them. It involves a continuing process of listening, trying new things, seeing how they work, and changing things in an effort to individualize care and de-institutionalize the nursing home environment.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Barrier between a person and a potentially harmful microorganism.
Phantom Pain/Sensation
Feeling like the limp is still there after the amputation due to the remaining nerve endings.
Phobias
An extreme form of anxiety/fears.
Physical Restraint
Any manual method of physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached to or adjacent to the resident’s body that the individual cannot remove easily, which restricts freedom of movement or normal access to one’s body.
Physical Therapist (PT)
Provides therapy in the form of heat, cold, massage, ultrasound, electricity, and exercise to residents with muscle, bone, and joint problems. A PT may help a person to safely use a walker, cane, or wheelchair.
Physical Therapy
Formal therapy which uses heat, cold, massage, ultrasound, electricity, and exercise to residents with muscle, bone, and joint problems. A PT may help a person to safely use a walker, cane, or wheelchair.
Pillaging
Taking items that belong to another.
Pivot
To turn with one foot remaining stationary.
Podiatrist
A physician who examines and care for the resident’s feet.
Poisoning
To cause injury, illness, or death by chemical means.
Policy
A course of action determined by the facility that should be taken every time a certain situation occurs.
Portable Commode (Bedside)
Chair with a toilet seat and a removable container underneath.
Portal of Entry
The way pathogens enter the body (mouth, nose, skin breaks, urinary tract, and anus).
Portal of Exit
The ways pathogens leave the body (urine, feces, saliva, tears, wound drainage, sores, blood, and excretions from the respiratory tract and genitals).
Positioning
The placement and alignment of the resident’s body when assisting the resident to sit, lie down, or turn.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety related to a disorder caused by a traumatic experience or event.
Pressure Sore
Also called “Bed Sore” or “Decubitus Ulcer”. A localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue. Usually occurs over a bony prominence as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear and/or friction.
Privacy
Free of being observe or disturbed by other people.
Pressure Point
Any area on the body that bears the body’s weight when lying or sitting and where a bone is close to the skin’s surface.
Procedure
The steps to be taken to carry out a task; a particular way of doing things.
Professionalism
How a person behaves when on the job. Examples of professional interactions with the resident include, but are not limited to:
Keeping a positive attitude doing the tasks you are assigned to perform.
Keeping information about the resident confidential.
Being polite.
Not discussing your personal problems with a resident or coworker.
Not using profanity, even if a resident does.
Listening to the resident.
Calling the resident by Mr., Mrs., Ms., and their preferred name.
Always explaining the care you will be providing before beginning to provide the care.
Presenting a positive image through personal hygiene, appearance, and state of mind.
Projection
Seeing feelings in others that are really one’s own.
Pronation
Turning downward.
Prosthesis
Artificial body part.
Prosthetic Devices
Device that replaces a body part that is missing or deformed due to an accident, injury, illness, or birth defect.
Proteins
Complex compounds found in all living matter; promote growth and repair of tissue.
Psychotherapy
Sessions with mental health professionals during which the resident discusses problems or issues.
Psychotropic Medication
Drugs taken which effect the mental state and are used to treat mental disorders.
Quadiplegia
Loss of function of the legs, trunk, and arms.
Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)
A certified nursing assistant who has completed required state training and has completed examination in an effort to administer medications and certain treatments in accordance with the specific scope of practice of the QMA.
Radial Pulse
The pulse site found on the inside of the wrist.
Range of Motion
Exercise which put a joint through its full range of motion.
Rationalization
Making excuses to justify a situation.
Reality Orientation
Using calendars, clocks, signs, and lists to assist/cue residents with cognitive impairment.
Registered Dietician (RD)
A professional who creates special diets for residents with specific needs and plans menus to ensure residents’ nutritional needs are met.
Registered Nurse (RN)
A licensed professional who has completed 2 to 4 years of nursing education and has completed the examination for licensure.
Regression
Going back to an old, immature behavior.
Rehabilitation
Services managed by professionals to restore a resident to their highest practicable level of functioning following a loss of ability to function due to illness or injury.
Reminiscence Therapy
Used to encourage patients to talk about the past.
Repetitive Phrasing
Continually repeating the same thing over and over.
Repression
Blocking painful thoughts or feelings from the mind.
Female Reproductive System
Ovaries, Fallopian Tubes, Uterus, Vagina, Vulva, Breasts.
Ovaries
Produce estrogen, progesterone, and ova (eggs).
Fallopian Tubes
Carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.
Uterus
Muscular sac where the eggs can develop.
Vulva
External genitalia including the labia and clitoris.
Breasts
Holds mammary glands which produce nutrients for infants.
Male Reproductive System
Testes, Scrotum, Prostate Gland, Penis.
Testes
Glands that produce testosterone and sperm.
Scrotum
Sac which contains the testes.
Prostate Gland
Gland which produces the seminal fluid for sperm.
Penis
External organ through which ejaculation and urination occurs.
Reservoir
Where pathogens live and multiply.
Resident Rights
Rights identified by OBRA relative to residents in long term care facilities. Informs residents and others of the residents’ rights within the facility.
Respiration
The process of breathing air into the lungs and exhaling air out of the lungs.
Respiratory Therapist
Provides breathing treatments and special equipment for respiratory conditions.
Restorative Services
A planned approach to keep the resident at the level achieved by rehabilitation following formal rehabilitation.
Restraints
To physically restrict voluntary movement or use chemicals to revise/restrict resident behavior.
Reverse Push-Up
Asking a resident to lift up their buttocks using their arms in a reverse push-up.
Risk Factor
A characteristic, condition, or behavior that increases the possibility of injury.
Room Change
Resident moves to another room in the same facility with the same status.
Rotation
Turning of a joint.
Scabies
A contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. Caused by a tiny, and usually not directly visible, parasite which burrows under the host’s skin; causing intense allergic itching.
Scald
Burn caused by hot liquids in contact with the skin.
Schizophrenia
A complex mental disorder that makes it difficult to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, and to behave normally in social situations.
Scope of Practice
The tasks for which a nurse aide is trained, and thus is allowed to do.
Nurse Aide Duties
Feeding residents, helping residents with toileting and elimination needs, assisting residents to move safely around the facility, keeping resident’s living areas neat and clean, encouraging residents to eat and drink, caring for supplies and equipment, helping to bathe and dress residents, making beds, helping residents with oral care and other hygiene needs. Not limited to this list.
Seizure (Convulsions)
Sudden contractions of muscles due to a disturbance in brain activity.
Semi-Fowler’s Position
Head of the bed is elevated 30 to 45 degrees.
Shear
Skin stays in one position, but underlying bone and tissue roll in the opposite direction.
Shock
State of being when the vital parts of the body (brain, heart, and lungs) do not get enough blood.
Side Rail
A barrier device attached to the side of a bed.
Skilled Care
Medically necessary care given by a nurse or therapist.
Slang
Terms/words used that may be specific to a generation and easily recognizable and/or easily misinterpreted by a resident.
Social Worker (SW)
An individual who helps residents with psycho-social needs and assists to arrange needed services.
Splint
Device that remains in place at the direction of the physician to maintain a body part in a fixed position.
Speech Therapist (ST) or Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)
A therapist who helps residents with speech and swallowing problems.
Speech Therapy
Formal therapy which assists residents with speech and swallowing problems.
Standard 14
The nurse aide will perform only the tasks in the course standards and Resident Care Procedures manual, unless trained appropriately by licensed staff of the facility with policies and procedures and a system for ongoing monitoring to assure compliance with the tasks. This additional training would only apply for tasks, which are not prohibited by paragraphs 2 and 3 of this section and by the current rule, which prohibits the giving of injections.
The nurse aide will not perform any invasive procedures, including enemas and rectal temperatures, checking for and/or removing fecal impactions, instillation of any fluids through any tubing, or administering vaginal or rectal instillations.
The nurse aide will not administer any medications, perform treatment, or apply/remove any dressings. Exception to the above would be the application of creams/ointments to intact skin as moisture barrier cream.
Stress
The state of being frightened, excited, confused, in danger, or irritated; which can result in an emotional and/or physical response.
Stressor
Something that causes stress.
Sputum
Fluid that is coughed up.
Standard Precautions
Treating all blood, body fluid, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as if they are infected.
Sterilization
Destroys all microorganisms, not just pathogens.
Stoma
The opening of an ostomy.
Stretcher
Gurney; Device for transporting residents unable to use a wheelchair or walk. A means of transporting the severely ill or an immobile resident.
Subcutaneous Tissue
The lowest layer of skin; fatty tissue.
Subjective Information
Information that could not be, or was not, observed. The information is based on what a person thinks or something that was reported by another person that may or may not be true.
Sundowning
Behavioral changes that occur in the evening with improvement or disappearance during the day.
Supination
Turning upward.
Supine Position
Lying flat on back.
Suppository
Medication given rectally to cause a bowel movement.
Susceptible Host
The person who could be infected (the elderly, persons who aren’t in good health, people who do not follow proper infection control precautions).
Systemic Infection
Infection that occurs when pathogens enter one’s bloodstream and move throughout the body causing general symptoms.
Systolic Blood Pressure
The top number. The phase when the heart is at work, contracting and pushing blood from the left ventricle. The pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.
Terminal Illness
A disease or condition that will eventually cause death.
Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
No nutrition is given through other routes, only intravenously.
Transfer
Moving the resident from one surface to another.
Transfer Belt (Gait Belt)
A safety belt used to assist the resident who is weak or unsteady during transfers or walking.
Transmission Based Precautions
Special precautions implemented on the basis of how the disease spreads.
Tuberculosis (TB)
A bacterial infection that affects the lungs causing coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, and fatigue. It is an airborne disease, carried on droplets suspended in the air.
Ulcerative Colitis
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
Unoccupied Bed
A bed made while no resident is in the bed.
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE)
A strain of enterococcus that cannot be controlled with antibiotics. It is spread through direct and indirect contact.
Verbal Communication
Written or spoken messages.
Validation Therapy
Allows the resident to believe they live in imaginary circumstances. Staff let the residents believe what the resident is saying, without trying to enforce current reality.
Vein
Blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart.
Vitamins
Organic compounds obtained from one’s diet or dietary supplements; helps the body function.
Void
Urination.
Walker
Assistive device used for support and steadiness.
Wandering
Walking aimlessly around the facility.
Water
H2O; The most essential nutrient for life.
