Key Terms

Question 1

acute illness

Answer 1

A sudden illness from which a person is expected to recover.

Question 2

assisted living residence (ALR)

Answer 2

Provides housing, personal care, support services, health care, and social activities in a home-like setting to persons needing help with daily activities.

Question 3

case management

Answer 3

A nursing care pattern; a case manager (an RN) coordinates a person’s care from admission through discharge and into the home or long-term care setting

Question 4

chronic illness

Answer 4

An ongoing illness, slow or gradual in onset; it has no known cure; it can be controlled and complications prevented with proper treatment.

Question 5

functional nursing

Answer 5

A nursing care pattern focusing on tasks and jobs; each nursing team member has certain tasks and jobs to do.

Question 6

health team

Answer 6

The many health care workers whose skills and knowledge focus on the person’s total care; interdisciplinary health care team.

Question 7

hospice

Answer 7

A health care agency or program for persons who are dying.

Question 8

licensed practical nurse (LPN)

Answer 8

A nurse who has completed a 1-year nursing program and has passed a licensing test; called licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in some states

Question 9

nursing assistant

Answer 9

A person who has passed a nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program; performs delegated nursing tasks under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

Question 10

nursing team

Answer 10

Those who provide nursing care- RN’s, LPNs/ LVNs, nursing assistants.

Question 11

patient-focused care

Answer 11

A nursing care pattern; services are moved from departments to the bedside.

Question 12

primary nursing

Answer 12

A nursing care pattern; an RN is responsible for the person’s total care.

Question 13

registered nurse (RN)

Answer 13

A nurse who has completed a 2-, 3-, or 4-year nursing program and has passed a licensing test.

Question 14

team nursing

Answer 14

A nursing care pattern; a team of nursing staff is led by an RN who decides the amount and kind of care each person needs.

Question 15

terminal illness

Answer 15

An illness or injury from which the person will not likely recover.

Question 16

accountable

Answer 16

Being responsible for one’s actions and the actions of others who performed the delegated tasks; answering questions about and explaining one’s actions and the actions of others.

Question 17

delegate

Answer 17

To authorize another person to perform a nursing task in a certain situation.

Question 18

job description

Answer 18

A document that describes what the agency expects you to do.

Question 19

nursing task

Answer 19

Nursing care or a nursing function, procedure, activity, or work that can be delegated to nursing assistants when it does not require an RN’s professional knowledge or judgment.

Question 20

responsibility

Answer 20

The duty or obligation to perform some act or function.

Question 21

apical-radial pulse

Answer 21

Taking the apical and radial pulses at the same time

Question 22

blood pressure

Answer 22

The amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood.

Question 23

body temperature

Answer 23

The amount of heat in the body that is a balance between the amount of heat produced and the amount lost by the body.

Question 24

bradycardia

Answer 24

A slow heart rate, less than 60 bpm

Question 25

diastole

Answer 25

The period of heart muscle relaxation; the heart is at rest.

Question 26

fever

Answer 26

elevated body temperature

Question 27

hypertension

Answer 27

when the systolic pressure is 140mm hg or higher, or the diastolic pressure is 90mm hg or higher

Question 28

hypotension

Answer 28

when the systolic pressure is below 90 mm hg, or the diastolic pressure is below 60mm hg.

Question 29

pulse

Answer 29

the beat of the heart felt at an artery as a wave of blood passes through the artery.

Question 30

pulse deficit

Answer 30

The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates

Question 31

pulse rate

Answer 31

the number of heartbeats or pulses felt in 1 minute

Question 32

respiration

Answer 32

Breathing air into and out of the lungs.

Question 33

sphygmomanometer

Answer 33

a cuff and measuring device used to measure blood pressure

Question 34

stethoscope

Answer 34

an instrument used to listen to sounds produced by the heart, lungs, and other body organs

Question 35

systole

Answer 35

The period of heart muscle contraction; the heart is pumping blood

Question 36

systolic pressure

Answer 36

the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts

Question 37

tachycardia

Answer 37

a rapid heart rate; more than 100 beats per minute

Question 38

thermometer

Answer 38

a device used to measure temperature

Question 39

vital signs

Answer 39

temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure; and pain in some agencies

Question 40

involuntary seclusion

Answer 40

Separating a person from others against his or her will, keeping the person to a certain area, or keeping the person away from his or her room without consent

Question 41

ombudsman

Answer 41

Someone who supports or promotes the needs and interests of another person. An ombudsman investigates resident’s complaints.

Question 42

representative

Answer 42

Any person who has the legal right to acto on the resident’s behalf when he or she cannot do so for himself or herself.

Question 43

treatment

Answer 43

The care provided to maintain or restore health, improve function, or relieve symptoms.