Key Terms Flashcards
acute illness
A sudden illness from which a person is expected to recover.
assisted living residence (ALR)
Provides housing, personal care, support services, health care, and social activities in a home-like setting to persons needing help with daily activities.
case management
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
chronic illness
An ongoing illness, slow or gradual in onset; it has no known cure; it can be controlled and complications prevented with proper treatment.
functional nursing
A nursing care pattern focusing on tasks and jobs; each nursing team member has certain tasks and jobs to do.
health team
The many health care workers whose skills and knowledge focus on the person’s total care; interdisciplinary health care team.
hospice
A health care agency or program for persons who are dying.
licensed practical nurse (LPN)
A nurse who has completed a 1-year nursing program and has passed a licensing test; called licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in some states
nursing assistant
A person who has passed a nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program; performs delegated nursing tasks under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
nursing team
Those who provide nursing care- RN’s, LPNs/ LVNs, nursing assistants.
patient-focused care
A nursing care pattern; services are moved from departments to the bedside.
primary nursing
A nursing care pattern; an RN is responsible for the person’s total care.
registered nurse (RN)
A nurse who has completed a 2-, 3-, or 4-year nursing program and has passed a licensing test.
team nursing
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.
terminal illness
An illness or injury from which the person will not likely recover.
accountable
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.
delegate
To authorize another person to perform a nursing task in a certain situation.
job description
A document that describes what the agency expects you to do.
nursing task
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.
responsibility
The duty or obligation to perform some act or function.
apical-radial pulse
Taking the apical and radial pulses at the same time
blood pressure
The amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood.
body temperature
The amount of heat in the body that is a balance between the amount of heat produced and the amount lost by the body.
bradycardia
A slow heart rate, less than 60 bpm
diastole
The period of heart muscle relaxation; the heart is at rest.
fever
elevated body temperature
hypertension
when the systolic pressure is 140mm hg or higher, or the diastolic pressure is 90mm hg or higher
hypotension
when the systolic pressure is below 90 mm hg, or the diastolic pressure is below 60mm hg.
pulse
the beat of the heart felt at an artery as a wave of blood passes through the artery.
pulse deficit
The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates
pulse rate
the number of heartbeats or pulses felt in 1 minute
respiration
Breathing air into and out of the lungs.
sphygmomanometer
a cuff and measuring device used to measure blood pressure
stethoscope
an instrument used to listen to sounds produced by the heart, lungs, and other body organs
systole
The period of heart muscle contraction; the heart is pumping blood
systolic pressure
the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts
tachycardia
a rapid heart rate; more than 100 beats per minute
thermometer
a device used to measure temperature
vital signs
temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure; and pain in some agencies
involuntary seclusion
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
ombudsman
Someone who supports or promotes the needs and interests of another person. An ombudsman investigates resident’s complaints.
representative
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.
treatment
The care provided to maintain or restore health, improve function, or relieve symptoms.
