Lesson 1 Flashcards
Abandonment
To leave completely and finally forsake utterly desert
Abdominal thrust
Method of attempting to remove an object from the airway of someone who is choking.
Abductor wedge
A health aid that enables the user to maintain proper leg positioning while recovering from hip replacements or fractures.
Abnormal vital
There are four main vital signs: body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and breathing rate. For each there is a normal measurement range. Measurements outside the range can be considered abnormal (deviant/atypical).
Absorption
The process of taking in something, such as water in a natural or gradual way.
Abuse
Purposeful mistreatment that causes physical, mental or emotional pain or injury to someone.
Accountable
Subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something responsible answerable.
Accreditation
Health care facilities that meet standards established by professional organizations; official recognition that the facility provides care to a certain standard.
Activities
A thing that a person or group does or has done.
Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s)
Daily personal care tasks such as bathing caring for skin, nails, hair, and teeth dressing, toileting eating, and drinking walking and transferring.
Acute
Characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset.
Acute Care setting
Provides care to people who become sick or injured suddenly, or who have other conditions (such as delivering a baby) that require short-term health care.
Acute Condition
An illness or injury that develops rapidly and usually resolves completely after a period of time with treatment.
Adaptive
Engaged in by disabled persons with the aid of equipment or techniques adapted for a.
Adaptive devices
Special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform activities of daily living also called assistive devices.
Adduction
To draw (as a limb) toward or past the median axis of the body also: to bring together (similar parts).
Admission
The act or process of accepting someone into a hospital, clinic, or other treatment facility as an inpatient.
Admitting resident
To accept (resident) into a hospital, clinic, or other treatment facility as an inpatient.
Advance directives
A legal document stating how a person wants health decisions made if he or she is unable to make or communicate these decisions independently in the future.
Afebrile
Free from fever: not marked by fever.
Affected side
A weakened side from a stroke or injury also called weaker or involved side.
Age-related memory impairment
Difficulties remembering or recalling information, or learning new information, that occur with normal aging and do not impair a person’s ability to carry out normal routines and activities.
Aging process
The biological process of growing older.
Agitation
A state of excessive psychomotor activity accompanied by increased tension and irritability.
Agnosia
The inability to interpret sensory input to recognize familiar things or people.
Alignment
Good posture.
Alzheimer’s disease
A progressive, incurable disease that causes tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits to form in the brain, eventually causing dementia.
Ambulation
Walking.
Amnesia
Memory loss.
Amputees
One that has had a limb cut from the body.
Anatomy
A work describing the form and structure of an organism and its various parts.
Anemia
A condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood.
Angina
Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort that occurs because the heart is not getting enough oxygen.
Anorexia
Loss or lack of appetite, an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.
Anterior
Relating to or situated near or toward the head.
Antibiotics
A medicine (such as penicillin or its derivatives) that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms.
Anxiety
A feeling of unease, dread, or worry.
Aphasia
Problems with communication resulting from damage to the brain, loss of speech, difficulty using or understanding words.
Apical pulse
The pulse on the left side of the chest, just below the nipple.
Apnea
The absence of breathing.
Appetite
Desire for food.
Arteries
Vessels that carry blood away from the heart.
Arteriosclerosis
The thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, occurring typically in old age
Arthritis
A condition that causes joints to become inflamed, swollen, stiff and painful
Aspiration
The inhalation of food, fluid, or foreign material into the lung
Aspiration Pneumonia
Pneumonia that occurs when foreign material (such as food or vomit) is inhaled into the lungs
Assault
Threat to harm a person, resulting in the person feeling fearful that he or she will be harmed
Assisted Living Facility
Provides care to people who require some assistance with tasks such as activities of daily living or reminders to take medications, but are otherwise fairly independent
Assistive device
Special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform ADLS.
Asthma
An illness in which certain substances or conditions, called ‘triggers,’ cause inflammation and construction of the airways, making breathing difficult
Atrophy
The wasting away, decreasing in size of muscled from lack of use
Audiologist
A health care professional who is trained to evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and to rehabilitate individuals with hearing loss and related disorders
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Portable electronic device that delivers a shock automatically or with a push of a button to help the heart restore an effective pumping rhythm
Axillary temperature
The body temperature as recorded by a thermometer placed in the armpit.
Bacteria
Disease causing germs
Balance
Stability achieved through the even distribution of weight
Basic needs
Physical, emotional mental, and social requirements
Bathing
A washing or immersion of something, especially the body, in water for cleansing purposes or medical treatment.
Battery
Actually touching another person in a harmful or unwelcome way such as hitting, pinching or slapping
Bed cradle
A device attach to the foot of bed to keep bed linens from touching, rubbing sensitive skin, or putting pressure on your legs, feet, and toes. Can also be used to prevent ‘foot drop’.
Bedrest
Confinement to bed as part of treatment.
Behavior
The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.
Behavioral care plan
A plan that assists a member in building positive behaviors to replace or reduce a challenging/dangerous behavior. This plan may include teaching, improved communication, increasing relationships, and using clinical interventions, etc.
Beliefs
Individual viewpoints, feelings, and opinions.
Benign
Noncancerous
Bereavement Care
Care that is provided for people who are grieving after a person dies
Biohazard
A biological agent or condition that is a hazard to humans or the environment.
Bipolar disorder
A type of depression that causes a person to have mood swings and changes in energy levels and ability to function also called manic depression.
Bisexual
A person who is attracted to people of both sexes
Bladder training
A behavior therapy that can be effective in treating urinary incontinence. The goals are to increase the amount of time between emptying the bladder and the amount of fluids the bladder can hold. It also can diminish leakage and the sense of urgency associated with the problem.
Bleeding
Losing blood.
Blindness
Sightless.
Blood pressure
Force of blood against walls of blood vessels
Bloodborne Pathogens
A disease-causing microbe that is transmitted through contact with an infected person’s blood
Body alignment
Body alignment refers to how the head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles relate and line up with each other. Proper alignment of the body puts less stress on the spine and helps you have good posture.
Body fluid
Liquid or semi-liquid substances produced by and released from the body, such as blood, urine, feces, saliva, sputum (mucus coughed up), vomit, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk, pus or other wound drainage, tears, and sweat.
Body language
All conscious or unconscious messages your body sends as you communicate, such as facial expressions, shrugging, your shoulders and wringing your hands.
Body mechanics
The way the parts of the body work together when a person moves.
Body mechanics
Using one’s body in a safe and efficient way to accomplish tasks such as lifting, pushing and pulling.
Body system
Groups of organs that perform specific functions in the human body.
Body temperature
The normal temperature of the human body. A person’s normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius.
Bone density
The amount of bone tissue that is in your bones.
Bone loss
A disease that causes bones to become brittle and more likely to fracture (break). With osteoporosis, the bones lose density.
Bony Prominences
Parts of the body where there is only a thin layer of fat and muscle between the skin and the underlying bone or cartilage.
Bowel program
A program that helps people who have chronic constipation or a frequent loss of bowel control. The program involves trying to go to the bathroom at the same time every day in an attempt to help train the body to have regular bowel movements.
Brain stem
The part of the brain composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and connecting the spinal cord with the forebrain and cerebrum.
Breathing
The process of taking air into and expelling it from the lungs.
Brittle bones
A genetic disorder that causes your bones to break very easily, usually without any type of injury, as from a fall.
Burnout
Mental or physical exhaustion due to a prolonged period of stress and frustration.
Burns
Tissue damage that results from heat, overexposure to the sun or other radiation, or chemical or electrical contact. Burns can be minor medical problems or life-threatening emergencies.
Call light
A device used by a resident to signal his or her need for assistance from professional staff.
Calorie
The unit of measure used to describe the amount of energy a food supplies.
Cancer
The abnormal growth of new cells that crowd out or destroy other body tissues.
Cardiac arrest
Heart attack.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Care that is required when a person loses consciousness, stops breathing, or has no pulse because the person’s heart or lungs have stopped working properly.
Cardiovascular system
Organ system that conveys blood through vessels to and from all parts of the body, carrying nutrients and oxygen to tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste.
Care impaired
Doing most if not all of the ADLs for an impaired resident.
Care plan
A plan developed for each resident to achieve certain goals, it outlines the steps and tasks that the care team must perform.
Cataract
A condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, causing vision loss.
Catheter
Tube inserted through the skin or into a body opening that is used to add or drain fluid.
Catheter care
The process of ensuring the catheter is working properly and ensuring the tube and the area where catheter attaches to body has been properly cleaned so the resident does not get an infection or skin irritation.
Central nervous system
Part of the nervous system made up of the brain and spinal cord.
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Also known as a Stroke. Occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted, resulting in the death of brain cells, or bleeding into the brain tissue.
Chain of command
The line of authority within a facility.
Charge nurse
A nurse responsible for a team of healthcare workers.
Chemical disinfection
Chemical substances which are used to kill or deactivate pathogenic microorganisms.
Chemical restraint
Medications used to control a person’s behavior.
Chemotherapy
Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Choking
Having severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or lack of.
Chronic
Long-term or long-lasting.
Chronic Heart Failure
A condition that occurs when the heart is damaged or weak and is unable to effectively pump blood throughout the body.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
A term used to describe lung disorders that make it difficult for air to enter or leave the lungs.
Circulation
The movement of blood through the vessels of the body induced by the pumping action of the heart.
Circulatory system
The system of blood, blood vessels, lymphatics, and heart concerned with the circulation of the blood and lymph.
Clear liquid diet
A clear liquid diet consists of clear liquids — such as water, broth and plain gelatin — that are easily digested and leave no undigested residue in your intestinal tract.
Clergy
A group ordained to perform pastoral or sacerdotal functions in a Christian church.
Client
A person who receives home health care.
Cognitively impaired
Difficulty with thinking processes involving memory, reasoning, judgment and language, such as that caused by disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (a form of dementia).
Cold application
Ice pack for 20 minutes. Stimulation of the surface of the skin and underlying tissues with a cold agent cooler than skin either in a moist or dry form, for the purpose of decreasing pain, muscle spasms, or inflammation.
Colostomy
Surgically created opening through the abdominal wall into the large intestine to allow feces to be expelled.
Colostomy care
Refers to the process of ensuring the colostomy pouch is emptied one or more times daily, the pouch itself is changed every four to six days and the stoma and surrounding skin is kept clean and sanitary.
Coma
State of unconsciousness in which a person is unable to respond to any change in the environment, including pain.
Combative resident
A person who displays violent or hostile behavior.
Comfort (supportive) care
Care that will make the person more comfortable but will not prolong the person’s life, such as oxygen therapy, administration of pain medications and personal care.
Communicable
An infectious disease transmissible by direct or indirect contact. Example tuberculosis.
Communication
The process of exchanging information with others by sending and receiving messages.
Compassion
The quality of recognizing another person’s hardship, accompanied by a desire to help relieve that hardship.
Competency evaluation
An assessment of mental health and/or decision making capacity.
Condom Catheter
A device that’s placed over a penis and is connected by tubing to a drainage bag to collect.
Conduct
The manner in which a person behaves, especially on a particular occasion or in a particular context.
Confidentiality
The legal and ethical principle of keeping information private.
Conflict resolution
The process of resolving conflicts (a serious disagreement or argument) in a positive way so that everyone is satisfied.
Confused resident
A person (resident) with an inability to think clearly.
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
A condition in which the heart muscle is damaged and fails to pump effectively.
Constipation
The inability to eliminate stool or the infrequent, difficult and often painful elimination of hard dry stool.
Constrict
To narrow.
Consumed ml/cc
The amount of fluid an individual has drank(consumed) is documented in milliliter (ml) or in cubic centimeter (cc). There are 30 cc/ml in 1 ounce of liquid.
Contaminated materials
Materials that are soiled with pathogens and must be handled with extreme care, and placed in polyethylene biohazard labeled bag and then disposed per company policies.
Contamination
To be soiled, unclean, having disease-causing organisms or materials on it.
Contracture
The permanent and often painful shortening of a muscle or tendon, usually due to lack of activity.
Coordination
The use of direction and force for purposeful action.
Coronary Artery Disease
A condition in which the coronary arteries become damaged and narrow over time, causing chest pain and other symptoms. Blockage of one or more arteries that supply blood to the heart, abbreviated CAD.
Cultural
Relating to a system of learned behaviors, practiced by a group of people, which is considered to be the tradition of that people and is passed on from one generation to the next.
Culture
Shared set of beliefs, values, customs and practices that characterize a group of people or a society
Cyanotic
The bluish, grayish, or purplish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes due to the tissues near the skin surface having low oxygen saturation
Dangling
To sit up with the legs hanging over the side of the bed in order to regain balance and stabilize blood pressure
De-escalation
Refers to behavior that is intended to escape increasing the conflict.
Death & dying
The end of the life of a person or organism and dying is to be on the point of or approaching death.
Decubitus ulcer
Bedsores or pressure ulcers which are injuries to skin and underlying tissue resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body, such as the heels, ankles, hips and tailbone.
Defecation
The elimination of solid waste from the body
Defense mechanism
Unconscious behaviors used to release tension or cope with stress.
Dehydration
A serious condition that results from inadequate or too little fluid in the body.
Delegation
Transferring authority to a person for a specific task.
Delirium
A rapid change in cognition that is related to chemical changes in the body
Delusions
A fixed false belief
Dementia
A term used to describe a cluster of symptoms involving progressive decline in memory and thinking abilities, such as the use of language and the ability to reason and make judgments
Denture care
The cleansing and maintenance of dentures (artificial teeth)
Dependability
The quality of being able to be counted on or relied upon.
Depression
A disorder characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness that causes social withdrawal, lack of energy, and loss of interest in activities, as well as other symptoms.
Development
The process of maturation or growth.
Developmental disability
Disabilities that are present at birth or emerge during childhood that restrict physical or mental ability.
Diabetes
A disorder characterized by the body’s inability to process glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. The pancreas produces too little insulin or does not properly use insulin.
Dialysis
Process that cleans the body of wastes the kidneys cannot remove due to kidney failure
Diaphragm
The large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and is the principal muscle of respiration.
Diarrhea
The frequent passage of loose, watery feces
Diastolic
The pressure of the blood against the walls when the heart relaxes
Diet
The food and beverages a person consumes
Dietitian
Health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual.
Digestion
The process of preparing food physically and chemically so that it can be absorbed into the cells.
Dilate
To widen or open
Disaster
Severe events that cause widespread damage and destruction, affecting many people and disrupting normal functioning of a community
Disease
A condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms
Disease process
The steps in the progression of a disease from exposure to recovery, disability or death.
Disinfectant
A chemical solution used to kill microbes on an object or surface
Disinfection
Process that kills pathogens, but not all pathogens it reduces the pathogen count to a level that is considered not infectious.
Disoriented
To be confused about a person, place or time
Disrespect
Lack of respect or courtesy.
Dizziness
A sensation of spinning around and losing one’s balance.
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)
A type of advance directive that instructs medical professional not to perform CPR if a person’s heartbeat or breathing stops.
Documentation
Material that provides official information or evidence or that serves as a record
Domestic abuse
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse by spouses, intimate partners or family members
Dorsiflexion
Bending backward.
Dressing
Material used to cover a wound.
Droplets
A very small drop of a liquid.
Drowsy
Sleepy and lethargic ready to fall asleep.
Dry skin
An uncomfortable condition marked by scaling, itching, and cracking. It can occur for a variety of reasons.
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
A legal document that gives the responsibility for making health decisions on a person’s behalf to someone else, such as a family member, in case the person becomes unable to make these decisions on her own behalf.
Dysphagia
Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing, as a symptom of disease.
Dyspnea
Labored or difficulty breathing.
Dysuria
Pain during urination, or difficulty urinating.
Edema
Swelling caused by excess fluid in body.
Edentulous
Lacking teeth, toothless.
Elderly
Of advanced age old.
Elimination
The process of expelling solid wastes (made up of the waste products of food) that are not absorbed into the cells through bowels or urine.
Emergency
A situation that arises suddenly and requires immediate action to keep a person safe.
Emesis
The act of vomiting, or ejecting stomach contents through the mouth and nose.
Emesis basin
A shallow basin of curved, kidney-shaped design, used to collect body fluids or as a container for various other liquids.
Emotional abuse
Any kind of abuse that is emotional rather than physical in nature. It can include anything from verbal abuse and constant criticism to more subtle tactics, such as intimidation, manipulation, and refusal to ever be pleased.
Emotional lability
Refers to rapid, often exaggerated changes in mood, where strong emotions or feelings (uncontrollable laughing or crying, or heightened irritability or temper) occur.
Emotional stress
The feelings that occur when a situation disturbs the equilibrium between a person and their environment.
Emotional support
The people and/or tools that help to lift someone to emotional higher ground so he or she can see their way through the difficulty.
Empathy
Identifying with feelings of others.
Emphysema
A chronic, incurable lung disease in which the alveoli in lungs becomes filled with trapped air usually resulting from smoking and chronic bronchitis.
Enema
A specific amount of water, with, or without an additive, that is introduced into the colon through the rectum/anus to stimulate the elimination of stool.
Entrapment
When a person’s head or another body part gets trapped between, under, or on the side rails of a bed, or between the mattress and the side rail.
Epilepsy
A disorder that causes reoccurring seizures that can often be controlled with medication.
Essential behaviors
Behaviors needed to be satisfied and met.
Ethical Dilemna
A situation where there may be more than one good or moral solution, depending on one’s point of view.
Ethics
The knowledge of right and wrong. Moral principles or standards that we use to decide the correct action to take.
Ethics Committee
A group of people representing many different areas of expertise and with an in-depth knowledge of ethical principle that is brought together to help resolve ethical dilemmas.
Etiquette
The code of proper behavior and courtesy in a certain setting.
Evacuation
To empty or void.
Expressive Aphasia
The inability to use language to express oneself, verbally or in writing (or both).
Falls
To lose one’s balance and collapse.
False imprisonment
Unlawful restraint that affects a person’s freedom of movement includes both the threat of being physically restrained and actually being restrained.
Fasting
A period of time during which food is given up voluntarily.
Fecal impaction
A serious form of constipation that occurs when constipation is not relieved and feces build up in the bowel until the bowel is almost completely blocked.
Feces
Solid body waste excreted through the anus from the large intestine, also called stool.
Feeding
The act or process of eating or being fed.
Fever
A temperature that is higher than the normal range (normal AVERAGE oral temp is 98.6).
Fiber
A substance found in foods that helps the digestive tract function properly and lowers the risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Financial abuse
The improper or illegal use of a person’s money, possessions, property or other assets.
Fire safety
The set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused by fire.
Fire safety measures
Include those that are intended to prevent ignition of an uncontrolled fire, and those that are used to limit the development and effects of a fire after it starts.
First aid
Emergency care that one provides to an injured or ill person until help arrives, based on the situation and caregiver’s level of training.
Flatus
Gas in or from the stomach, intestines, or bowels, produced by swallowing air or by bacterial fermentation.
Foley catheter
A flexible plastic tube (a catheter) inserted into the bladder to provide continuous urinary drainage.
Foot care
Involves all aspects of foot hygiene and preventive/corrective care of the foot and ankle.
Foot drop
Weakness of muscles in the feet and ankles that interferes with the ability to flex the ankles and walk normally. A bed / foot cradle can be used to prevent this or to slow the progression.
Fowler’s position
A semi-sitting body position in which a person’s head and shoulders are elevated 45 to 60 degrees.
Fracture pan
A bedpan that is flatter than a regular bedpan.
Fractures
Broken bones.
Fraud
Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. Lying to gain profit or advantage.
Frayed cord
The electric cord on your appliance or device contains a live wire that should be securely insulated, but has become exposed.
Free from disease
Not having a disease.
Friction
Rubbing of two surfaces against each other.
Gait belt
A belt made of canvas or other heavy material used to help people who are weak, unsteady or uncoordinated to stand, sit, or walk also called a transfer belt.
Gastric feedings
The administration of food directly into the stomach by a tube.
Gastrostomy tube (G-Tube)
A tube inserted through the abdomen that delivers nutrition directly to the stomach.
Gender Identity
A person’s inner sense of being male or female.
Geriatrics
The branch of medicine or social science dealing with the health and care of old people.
Gerontology
The scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the particular problems of old people.
Gestures
The use of motions of the limbs or body as a means of expression.
Gifts
Something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.
Glass thermometer
A glass bulb attached to a fine tube of glass with a numbered scale and containing a liquid (as mercury or colored alcohol) that is sealed in and rises and falls with changes of temperature.
Glucose
The body’s most basic source of energy.
Grand mal seizure
Convulsions resulting in loss of consciousness.
Grief
Intense sadness that occurs as a result of loss.
Grieving process
The varying emotional responses to grief.
Hair care
Care provided to keep the hair clean, healthy looking, and attractive.
Hallucination
Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or feeling something that does not exist.
Hand care
Involves all aspects of hygiene of the hand and wrist.
Hand tremors
An involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction leading to shaking movements in the hand.
Hand washing
Washing hands with either plain or antiseptic soap and water and using alcohol-based hand rubs.
Health Care Associated Infection
An infection that a person gets while receiving care in a health care facility.
Health-care team
The person receiving care, the person’s family members, and staff members and other professionals who are responsible for providing care and other services.
Hearing aid
A small device that fits in or on the ear, worn by a partially deaf person to amplify sound.
Hearing impaired
Term used to describe people with any degree of hearing loss, from mild to profound, including those who are deaf and those who are hard of hearing.
Hearing loss
A partial or total inability to hear.
Heart muscle
Heart or cardiac muscle tissue is only found in your heart, where it performs coordinated contractions that allow your heart to pump blood through your circulatory system.
Heat application
Stimulation of the surface of the skin and underlying tissues with a heated agent for the purpose of increasing blood flow or decreasing pain and/or muscle spasms.
Height
The measurement from base to top.
Heimlich maneuver
Series of rapid thrusts to the abdomen in an effort to clear the airway.
Hemiparesis
Weakness on one side.
Hemiplegia
Paralysis on one side of the body.
Hepatitis A
A highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus.
Hepatitis A
A virus that causes inflammation and affects your liver’s ability to function, most likely contracted from contaminated food or water or from close contact with an infected person or object.
Hereditary
Genetically transmitted or transmittable from parent to offspring.
Heterosexual
A person who is attracted to people of the opposite sex.
High Fowlers Position
A position where the head of the bed is raised 90 degrees.
Hip prosthesis
Artificial materials that are inserted to replace the hip joint.
HIPAA
A federal law that requires health information be kept private and secure and that organizations must take special steps to protect this information.
HIV / AIDS
The virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, if not treated; it attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells).
Holistic care
A type of care that involves caring for the whole person - the mind as well as the body.
Homosexual
A person who is attracted to people of the same sex.
Hormones
Chemical substances created by the body that control numerous body functions.
Hospice Care
Care that focuses on providing comfort care to people who are dying, and on supporting their families.
Hospice Facility
A place for dying people to receive holistic compassionate care.
Human Development
Social changes, emotional changes, and cognitive changes in a person’s life.
Human Growth
Physical changes, such as growing bigger and cutting teeth in infancy, or developing breasts or a beard in adolescence.
Huntington’s
An inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, impacting functional abilities and often resulting in movement, thinking, and psychiatric disorders.
Hyperglycemia
Excessively high level of sugar/glucose in the blood stream.
Hypertension
A disorder characterized by chronically high blood pressure.
Hyperventilation
Excessive rate and depth of respiration leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood.
Hypoglycemia
Excessively low blood sugar; a life-threatening complication of diabetes that can result from either too much insulin or too little food.
Hypotension
Low blood pressure.
Hypothermia
A temperature that is lower than the normal range.
Ileostomy
Surgically created opening into the end of the small intestine, the ileum, to allow feces to be expelled.
Immobility
The inability to move.
Impaired
Diminished in function or ability.
Impairment
Loss of function or ability, limited, decreased.
In-house transfer
Move from one room to another.
In-Patient Care
Care for patients who stay overnight in a hospital.
In-service programs
A professional training or staff development effort, where professionals are trained and discuss their work with others in their peer group. It is a key component of continuing health care education.
Incident
Something unusual that happens to a person receiving care, a staff member, or a visitor to the facility that has the potential to cause harm.
Incident report
A report documenting an accident and response to the incident, also known as an occurrence report or event report.
Incontinence
The inability to control the release of the bladder or bowels.
Indwelling Urinary Catheter
A small tube inserted through the urethra into the bladder, left in place to drain urine from the bladder on a continuous basis.
Infection
A disease caused by the growth of pathogens in the body.
Infection control
Steps taken to prevent and control the spread of microbes that cause infectious diseases.
Infection prevention
The set of methods practiced in healthcare facilities to prevent and control the spread of disease.
Influenza (Flu)
A highly contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory tract.
Informed Consent
The written permission health care providers must obtain from a patient, resident or client before going ahead with a treatment or procedure.
Initial observations
The measurement that you take before you start any process that might cause a change.
Insomnia
The inability to fall asleep or remain asleep.
Insulin
A hormone that causes glucose to be moved from the bloodstream into the cells.
Intake and output ( I & O )
Intake: The fluid a person consumes, also called input / Output: the amount voided.
Integumentary system
Outer covering of skin, hair, and nails acting to protect the body from various kinds of damage.
Inter-generational care
Mixing children and the elderly in the same care setting.
Interpersonal skills
The set of abilities enabling a person to interact positively and work effectively with others.
Intimacy
All the good feelings that people have for one another, such as liking, loving, sharing.
Invasion of privacy
A violation of the right to be left alone and the right to control personal information.
Ischemia
An inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body, especially the heart muscle.
Isolation
To separate something or someone.
Isolation precautions
The voluntary or compulsory separation and confinement of those known or suspected to be infected with a contagious disease agent (whether ill or not) to prevent further infections.
IV care
IV lines are used to deliver different types of fluids, medications, and blood products to patients. The catheter or the ‘line’ is a thin, flexible plastic tube. A trained health care provider inserts the line into a vein in the hand, arm, foot, leg, or scalp. Fluid flows through the line directly into the bloodstream. IV lines must be properly checked and cared for to ensure the line is working properly and that there are no complications.
Jaundice
Yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, and body fluids caused by the deposition of bile pigments.
Job application
Official form that employers ask all applicants for a position to fill out that lists their employment history, educational background, degrees, qualifications, references, and more.
Job description
An outline of what will be expected in a job.
Kidney (renal) failure
The inability of the kidneys to filter waste products from the blood.
Lactose intolerance
The inability to digest lactose, a type of sugar in milk and other dairy products.
Larceny
Theft.
Laws
Rules established by a governing authority to protect citizens from harm and provide a framework for resolving conflicts.
Laxatives
Substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Lewy Body Dementia
The inability to plan and perform purposeful motor movements to complete a task despite having the ability and the desire to perform the task.
Life support
Any device or system, usually connected directly to a patient, that can take over for a vital body organ or function that is failing or has failed.
Life-sustaining Treatments
Care that will prolong life, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mechanical ventilation.
Lift/draw sheet
Sheet used to move a resident.
Linen
Bedding, towels, gowns, masks, and other articles that requires disinfection or disposal.
Living will
A legal document that gives specific directions about what steps the health care team should or should not take to prolong the person’s life when death seems near.
Log roll / Logrolling
A method used to turn a person onto her side in bed when the person’s spine must be kept in alignment throughout the move.
Long Term Care setting
Provides care to people who require assistance with medical, personal and social needs over an extended period of time.
Long-Term Memory
Memory of the past.
Low Fowler’s Position
A position where the head of the bed is raised 30 degrees.
Male perineal care
It means washing the penis and anal area.
Malignant
Cancerous.
Malnutrition
Failure to take in enough of the right kinds of nutrients to stay healthy.
Maslow
Psychologist whose theory of hierarchy of human needs helps explain behavior.
Masturbation
To touch or rub sexual organs in order to give oneself pleasure.
Material safety data sheets (SDS / MSDS)
Sheet that provides information on the safe use of and hazards of chemicals, as well as emergency steps to take in the event chemicals are splashed, sprayed or ingested.
Measuring height
The maximum distance from the floor to the highest point of the head.
Measuring temperature
Degree of hotness or coldness measured on a definite scale.
Mechanical lift
Special equipment used to lift and move or lift and weigh a person, also called hydraulic lift.
Medicaid
A jointly funded (by the state and federal governments) and state-administered insurance program for people with low incomes.
Medical Asepsis
The use of practices aimed at destroying pathological organisms after they leave the body; employed in the care of patients with infectious diseases to prevent re-infection of the patient and to avoid the spread of infection from one person to another.
Medical record
A chronological written account of a patient’s examination and treatment that includes the resident’s medical history and complaints, the physician’s physical findings, the results of diagnostic tests and procedures, and medications and therapeutic procedures.
Medicare
A federally funded health insurance program for people who are 65 years and older.
Medication administration
Providing the resident with a substance prescribed and intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a medical illness or condition.
Memory loss
Is the forgetting of information and experiences that a person would normally be able to recall easily. Memory loss (sometimes called amnesia) can affect short-term memory or long-term memory.
Mental health
Refers to the normal function of emotional and intellectual abilities.
Mentally impaired
A condition in which a part of a person’s mind is damaged or is not working properly. Examples include mental retardation, emotional or mental illness, and organic brain syndrome.
Metastasize / Metastasis
The spreading of cancerous cells to other parts of the body other than where the cancer originated.
Microbe (Microorganism)
A tiny living thing or organism that is so small that it can be seen only under a microscope.
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Problems with memory, language, or thinking processes that are noticeable to other people, but do not interfere with the person’s ability to live a normal life.
Military time
A method of measuring the time based on the full twenty-four hours of the day rather than two groups of twelve hours the twenty-four-hour clock.
Minerals
Solid inorganic substances of natural occurrence.
Misappropriation
The act of taking what belongs to someone else and using it illegally for one’s own gain.
Mobility
Ability to move.
Modified Side-Lying Position
The person is positioned on her side and leaning slightly toward the back to relieve pressure on the hip.
Mouth care
The practice of keeping the mouth clean and free of disease and other problems by regular brushing of the teeth, tongue and cleaning between the teeth.
Mucous Membrane
The membranes that line body cavities that open to the outside of the body, such as the linings of the mouth, nose, eyes, rectum, and genitals.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
A chronic neurologic disease that gradually destroys the protective covering for the nerves, spinal cord and white matter for the brain breaks down over time without this covering, nerves cannot send messages to and from the brain in a normal way.
Muscle spasms
An involuntary contraction of a muscle that can cause a great deal of pain.
Musculoskeletal
Concerning, involving, or made up of both the muscles and the bone.
Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
Is permanent damage to your heart muscle. It happens when a blocked artery leads to a lack of blood supply to the heart, causing the cells in that area to die.
Nasal cannula
A device used to deliver supplemental oxygen or increased airflow to a person in need of respiratory help.
Nasogastric tube (NG Tube)
A tube that is inserted through the nose, down the throat and esophagus, and into the stomach. It can be used to give drugs, liquids, and liquid food, or used to remove substances from the stomach.
Nausea
A sick feeling in the stomach often accompanied by the urge to vomit
Neglect
The failure to provide needed care that results in physical, mental or emotional harm to a person.
Negligence
Failure to do what a “reasonable and careful” person would be expected to do in a given situation
Non-contagious disease
A disease not capable of being spread from one person to another.
Non-verbal communication
Communicating without using words.
Nosocomial
A disease or infection that originated from a stay in a hospital
NPO
Nothing by mouth. A medical order to withhold all food and fluids taken orally.
Nurse Aide’s role
A NA’s main role is to provide basic care to residents, as well as assist them in daily activities they might have trouble with on their own, such as bathing.
Nurse’s station
An area in a health care facility in which nurses assemble, and carry out administrative or other duties.
Nursing Home
Provides care to people who require a high level of nursing care and supervision
Nursing Team
A licensed nurse (registered nurse or licensed practical/vocational nurses) and a nurse assistant and sometimes, an advanced practice nurse who may be called a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist
Nutrients
Substances that the body needs to grow, maintain itself, and stay healthy
Nutrition
The process of taking in and using nutrients
Obsessive compulsive
A character trait where the person is plagued by obsessive thought or behaviors.
Occupational Exposure
Exposure to disease in the workplace
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Government agency that was established in 1970 to help protect workers in all industries (not just health care) from on-the-job injuries
Occupied bed
A bed made while the person is in the bed.
Ombudsman
Volunteer who advocates for (act on the behalf of) nursing home residents and their family members to resolve problems related to quality of care. A legal advocate for residents in long-term care facilities helps resolve disputes and settle conflicts.
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA)
Federal legislation that includes minimum standards for nursing assistant training, staffing requirements, resident assessment instructions, and information in rights for residents for all nursing homes accepting federal funding.
Oral care
Care of mouth, teeth and gums.
Oral hygiene
Care of teeth, mouth and gums.
Oral temperature
The body temperature as recorded by a clinical thermometer placed in the mouth
Orientation
The relative physical position or direction of something
Oriented
Aware/Awareness.
Orthopneic
Difficult or painful breathing except in an erect sitting or standing position.
Orthosis
The correction of disorders of the limbs or spine by use of braces and other devices
Osteoarthritis
Common type of arthritis that usually affects the hips, knees, fingers thumbs and spine also called degenerative joint disease.
Osteoporosis
A disease that causes bones to become porous and brittle, causing them to break easily.
Ostomy Appliance / bag
Medical device (pouch) that provides a means for the collection of waste (feces or urine) from a surgically created opening from an area inside the body to the outside.
Outpatient Care
Patients who come to the hospital to receive a specific therapy (for example, surgery to repair a broken bone) and go home the same day.
Output
All fluid that is eliminated from the body includes fluid in urine, feces, vomitus and perspiration, moisture that is exhaled in the air and wound drainage.
Overbed table
A narrow rectangular table designed especially for residents that spans the bed and is typically fitted with casters and a crank for adjusting the height and tilting the top.
Oxygen
A chemical element found in the air as a colorless odorless tasteless gas that is necessary for life.
Palliative care
Specialized medical care that focuses on the comfort and dignity of person’s with serious life limiting illnesses, rather than on curing him or her.
Paralysis
The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body.
Paranoia
A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance.
Paraplegia
Paralysis that affects both legs and the lower trunk
Parkinson’s Disease
A progressive neurologic disorder characterized by muscle tremors and difficulty with movement due to insufficient amounts of dopamine
Passive
Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance.
Pathogen
Microorganisms (bacteria) that are capable of causing infection and disease.
Patience
The ability to endure difficult circumstances such as perseverance in the face of delay tolerance of provocation without responding in annoyance/anger or restraint when under
Patient
A person who receives care in a hospital or other acute care setting.
Perineal care
Care of the genitals and anal area.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
A circulatory condition in which narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs.
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
A circulatory condition in which narrowed blood vessels lower/reduce blood flow to the limbs.
Peristalsis
The involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine or another canal, creating wavelike movements that push the contents of the canal forward.
Personal care
Attending to the physical needs of people who are disabled or otherwise unable to take care of themselves, including tasks such as bathing, management of bodily functions, and cooking.
Personal items
Items that belong to someone and that are small enough to be carried
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Gear (Gown, gloves, mask, goggles, face shield) worn to prevent microbes from contaminating a caregiver’s uniform, skin or mucous membranes
Personal values
Things that you believe are important in the way you live and work. They (should) determine your priorities, and, deep down, they’re probably the measures you use to tell if your life is turning out the way you want it to.
Pet therapy
A broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental
Petit mal seizure
A partial seizure which does not result in loss of consciousness.
Phone etiquette
Being respectful to the person you are talking with on the phone, showing consideration for the other person’s limitations, allowing that person time to speak, communicating clearly and much, much more.
Physical needs
Need that is critical to the survival of the human body. Maslow lists the basic needs as water, air, food, warmth, sex, sleep and the disposal of bodily waste.
Physical therapist
Sometimes called PTs, they help injured or ill people improve their movement and manage their pain.
Physician’s authority
Physician in charge.
Plaque
Substance that accumulates on the teeth from food and bacteria.
Plate rim
Rim around the plate
Pleura
One of the two membranes around the lungs.
Pneumonia
Inflammation of the lungs
Podiatrist
Foot doctor
Policy book
Book that details rules and the course of actions to be followed.
Positioning
The act of helping people into positions that will be comfortable and healthy for them.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety related disorder caused by a traumatic experience.
Postmortem Care
The care of the body after death that involves cleaning and positioning the body after death
Postural hypotension
Low blood pressure that happens when you stand up from a sitting or lying position. Postural hypotension can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, and maybe even faint.
Postural supports
A device used to achieve proper body position, balance, or alignment. Often prescribed by a physician, physical therapist, or occupational therapist.
Precautions
A measure taken in advance to prevent something dangerous, unpleasant, or inconvenient from happening.
Pressure ulcer
A serious wound caused by a person’s body pressing against a hard surface for an extended period of time, also known as pressure sore, decubitus ulcer or bed sore.
Preventing falls
A variety of actions to help reduce the number of accidental falls suffered by residents.
Privacy
Is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves, or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively.
Progressive
Something that continually gets worse or deteriorates.
Pronation
Turning downward
Prone Position
The person is positioned on his stomach
Prostate gland
A walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis. The prostate secretes fluid that nourishes and protects sperm.
Prosthesis
An artificial device that replaces a body part, such as an eye, hip, arm, leg, tooth or heart valve helps improve function and/or appearance.
Psychiatrist
A medical practitioner specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental
Psychological needs
Needs that involve social interaction, emotions, intellect and spirituality.
Psychosocial
Approach looks at individuals combined influence that the surrounding social environment have on their physical and mental wellness and their ability to function.
Pulse
Throbbing of the arteries caused by contractions of the heart.
Pulse Oximetry
A technique used to measure the oxygen levels in a person’s blood.
Pureed diet
Diet in which food is chopped, blended or grinded into a thick paste of baby food consistency.
Quadriplegia
Paralysis that affects both arms, the trunk, and both legs.
Quality of life
How good or bad a person’s life is.
RACE (acronym)
A method for responding to a fire emergency. It stands for Rescue, Activate Alarm, Contain & Extinguish/Evacuate.
Radial pulse
The pulse on the inside of the wrist where the radial artery runs just below the skin.
Radiation
The use of high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells.
Ramps
A slope or inclined plane for joining two different levels.
Range of motion
Exercises that put joint through its full arc of motion.
Reality orientation
Type of therapy that uses calendars, clocks, signs and lists to help people with Alzheimer’s Disease remember who and where they are, along with date and time.
Receptive Aphasia
The inability to understand communication from others.
Rectal temperature
Temperature is taken by putting the thermometer gently in the rectum. The rectum is the end of the bowel.
Refusal
The act of refusing or denying.
Regulation
A rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
Rehabilitation
A program of care given by a specialist or a team of specialists to restore or improve function after an illness or injury.
Religious service
A ritual performed in as part of a religious observation.
Reminiscence therapy
The use of life histories - written, oral, or both - to improve psychological well-being.
Reminiscing
Remembering the past.
Renewal
An instance of resuming an activity or state after an interruption.
Reporting
Giving detailed information.
Reposition
Place in a different position adjust or alter the position at least every 2 hours.
Resident
A person who receives care in a long-term care setting.
Resident abuse
An intentional infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, care/service deprivation or punishment that results in physical harm, pain or mental anguish to the.
Resident belongings
Something that belongs to the resident.
Resident right
Rights guaranteed by the federal 1987 Nursing Home Reform Law. The law requires long term care facilities to ‘promote and protect the rights of each resident’ and places a strong emphasis on individual dignity and self-determination.
Resident’s Bill of Rights
Rights identified in OBRA that relate to how residents must be treated while living in a long-term care facility they provide an ethical code of conduct for healthcare workers.
Resident’s chart
A complete record of key clinical data and medical history, such as demographics, vital signs, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, progress notes, problems, immunization dates, allergies and test result.
Respiration
Breathing, consisting of one inspiration and one expiration.
Respiratory symptoms
Symptoms include difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, shallow breathing, deep breathing, and apnea (absence of breathing).
Respiratory system
The set of organs that allows a person to breathe and exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
Responsibility
Being accountable.
Restorative care
Care used after rehabilitation to maintain a person’s function and increase independence.
Restraint
A device that inhibits a person’s freedom of movement or ability to reach part of his or her body or a medication that subdues a person.
Resuscitation
The action or process of reviving someone from unconsciousness or apparent death.
Rights
Moral or legal entitlements to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way.
Rigor mortis
Latin for ‘stiffness of death’ referring to the stiffness that occurs 6 to 8 hours after death due to muscles becoming rigid.
Risk factor
Any attribute, characteristic or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury.
Role
Expectations and limits.
Rotation
To move in a Circular motion.
Safety procedures
Step by step plans of how to perform a work procedure. This is used in cases where deviation from the procedure could lead to injury or accident.
Scope of practice
Defines tasks that health care providers are legally permitted to perform as allowed by state, federal law, or employer.
Seclusion
The state of being private and away from other people.
Secretions
A substance made and released by a living thing, like when your skin sweats.
Seizure
Abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which leads to temporary and involuntary changes in body movement (convulsions), function, sensation, awareness or behavior.
Self-esteem
Confidence in one’s own worth or abilities self-respect.
Semi fowlers
A position in which a resident, typically is positioned on their back with the head and trunk raised to between 15 to 45 degrees.
Sensory system
A part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information. Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision, hearing, somatic sensation (touch), taste and olfaction (smell).
Sexual abuse
Forcing a person to perform or participate in sexual acts against his or her will.
Sexual Behaviors
Physical activities, such as sexual intercourse and masturbation, related to obtaining sexual pleasure and reproducing.
Sexual harassment
Any unwelcome sexual advance or behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
Sexual Identity
A person’s sexual orientation and preferences with regard to sexual partners.
Sexuality
How people perceive themselves and express themselves sexually.
Shampoo tray
A device which allows people who are unable or too uncomfortable to have their hair washed by leaning backward to a sink, or for those who are bedridden and unable to ambulate to the bathroom and/or use the shower to stay sitting upright in their wheelchair or chair and have their hair washed without getting water and shampoo all over the place.
Sharps container
A puncture-resistant and leak-proof container with a one-way top used to dispose of sharps.
Shear / Shearing
Rubbing or friction resulting from the skin moving one way and the bone underneath it remaining fixed or moving in the opposite direction.
Shock
A condition in which the circulatory system fails to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the body’s tissues and vital organs.
Short-term memory
Memory of recent events.
Shroud
A cloth covering that a body may be wrapped in after death.
Side rails
A support attached to the frame of a bed and intended to prevent a resident from falling.
Side-Lying (lateral) position
The person is positioned on her side.
Sims’ Position
The person is positioned on her side, leaning very far forward.
SITZ bath
A warm soak of the perineal area to clean perineal wounds and reduce inflammation and pain.
Skilled care facility
A facility where residents received medically necessary care given by a skilled nurse or therapist.
Skin Breakdown
Loss of healthy, intact skin.
Skin integrity
Refers to skin health. A skin integrity issue might mean the skin is damaged, vulnerable to injury or unable to heal normally.
Skin observation
A process in which the entire skin of a person is examined for abnormalities. It requires looking at and touching the skin from head to toe, with a particular emphasis on bony prominences and skin folds. This is repeated on a regular basis to determine whether changes in the skin’s condition have occurred.
Slander
The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation.
Social needs
Social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include such things as love, acceptance, and belonging. At this level, the need for emotional relationships drives human behavior. Some of the things that satisfy this need include: friendships, romantic attachments, family, social groups, community groups, churches and religious organizations.
Social worker
A professional concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being.
Soiled or Dirty Linen
Linen that has been used or soiled with blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions.
Specimen
A sample for medical testing.
Sphygmomanometer
A device used to measure blood pressure.
Spiritual needs
Needs that help a person maintain a sense of spiritual well-being and/or helps them to cope with life, illness, loss, grief or pain.
Spirituality
Belief in something greater than oneself that helps a person assign meaning and purpose to life.
Sputum specimen
A sample of the gooey substance that often comes up from your chest when you have an infection in your lungs or airways.
Stages of grief
A progression of emotional states experienced by terminally ill people after diagnosis. Chronologically the five stages are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Standard precautions
Practices used by caregivers when providing care to a person, regardless of the person’s condition or injury, to minimize the spread of pathogens spread through Contact, Airborne, or Droplet Precautions.
Stereotypes
A biased generalization about a group that is usually based on opinions and distorted ideas.
Sterilization
A measure used to decrease the spread of pathogens and disease by destroying all microorganisms, including those that form spores.
Stethoscope
A piece of equipment that is used to listen to sounds produced inside the body.
Stoma
A surgically created opening made in the abdominal wall to allow the elimination of waste.
Sub-Acute Care setting
Provides care to patients who are medically stable but still require treatments such as intravenous (IV) drug therapy, physical rehabilitation or wound care for complex wounds that can only be provided by health care professionals.
Subjective
Includes feelings and impressions.
Subjective data
Information that includes feelings and impressions.
Sundowning
A condition in which a person gets restless and agitated in the late afternoon, evening or night.
Supine position
The person is positioned flat on her back.
Supplemental feedings
Any dietary additives provided to residents to enhance their nutritional status.
Suprapubic
Referring to the region on the center of the front wall of the abdomen immediately above the pubic bone.
Survey
An inspection to determine if the long-term care facility is in compliance with applicable law and performance measures. If the facility performs well in the survey it will receive a certificate of compliance allowing it to continue operations and also making it eligible to participate in Medicare/Medicaid programs.
Swelling
An abnormal enlargement of a part of the body, typically as a result of an accumulation of fluid.
Systolic
The pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries when the heart pumps.
Tachycardia
A fast heartbeat, per 100 beats per minute.
TED Hose / Compression Sock / Anti-embolic / Elastic Stocking
Long, tight fitting stockings that place mild static pressure on the legs to prevent blood from clotting.
Telephone etiquette
Being respectful to the person you are talking with on the phone, showing consideration for the other person’s limitations, allowing that person time to speak, communicating clearly and much, much more.
Temperature
The degree or intensity of heat present in a body, substance or object.
Tendons
Tough fibrous bands that connect muscle to bone.
Tepid
Lukewarm unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest.
Terminal Illness
Illness for which there is no treatment and that is expected to lead to the person’s death.
Terminology
Special words or expressions used in relation to a particular subject or activity.
Thick fluid
A fluid that has been thickened to prevent choking.
Thickened liquids
Thickened liquids help prevent choking and stop fluid from entering the lungs. The 3 common consistencies of thickened liquids are nectar-thick, honey-thick, and pudding-thick.
Threatening Resident
A resident that behaves in hostile or deliberately frightening quality or manner.
Thrombus
A blood clot formed within the vascular system of the body and impeding blood flow.
Trachea
An air passage that goes from the throat to the bronchi also called the windpipe.
Transfer belt / Gaitbelt
A belt made of canvas or other heavy material used to assist residents who are weak, unsteady, or uncoordinated to stand, sit or walk also called a gait belt.
Transfers
Moving from one place to another.
Transgender
Males who feel themselves to be female, females who feel themselves to be male, or people who do not strongly identify themselves as either male or female.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
Is like a stroke, producing similar symptoms, but usually lasting only a few minutes and causing no permanent damage.
Transmission Based Precautions
Practices used by caregivers to minimize the spread of microbes when the person has a disease known to be transmitted in a specific way; includes airborne precautions, droplet precautions and contact precautions.
Transporting (Food/Linens/Etc)
To take or carry (people or goods) from one place to another.
Transsexual
People who alter their physical appearance to more closely match the gender they most strongly identify with.
Trochanter Roll
Cylindrical prop such as a rolled-up towel, foam roll, cylindrical cushion/pillow etc. that is positioned around the lateral hip/thigh area of an individual to provide support to the hip/leg.
Tuberculosis
A bacterial infection of the lungs that is spread through the air from one person to another.
Tumor
A solid mass of tissue.
Tympanic
The eardrum.
Tympanic temperature
The temperature obtained by placing an electronic probe in the ear canal.
Unaffected
Not influenced or changed mentally, physically, or chemically.
Unconscious
In the state of not being awake, especially as the result of a head injury.
Unethical behavior
An action that falls outside of what is considered morally right or proper for a person, a profession or an industry.
Unsteady
Liable to fall or shake not firm.
Urethral / Urethra
The membranous tube that extends from the urinary bladder to the exterior and that in the male conveys semen as well as urine.
Urinary bag
A bag that attaches to a catheter that is inside your bladder and collects urine.
Urinary catheter bag
A bag that attaches to a catheter that is inside your bladder and collects urine.
Urinary elimination
The discharge of urine from the body. Voiding.
Urinary system
Consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH.
Urinary tract
The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These organs include the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Urinary tract infection a disorder that causes inflammation of the bladder also called cystitis.
Urination / Urine
The discharge of urine (liquid waste) from the body. Voiding/Voided.
Validation
To give value to or approve.
Validation therapy
A technique for working with those with cognitive impairment or dementia that shows respect for the person’s thoughts and feelings and validates (acknowledges) what the person believes, regardless of the actual truth.
Varicose veins
Veins that have become enlarged and twisted.
Violent behavior
Behavior that includes attacking, hitting or threatening someone.
Vision change
Inability to see or a decrease in vision.
Visual impairment
A decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems not fixable by usual means, such as glasses.
Vital signs
Measurements that give us basic information about how a person’s body is functioning; include temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure.
Vomitus
Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, due to the act of vomiting.
Wandering resident
The state in which a resident with dementia has meandering, aimless, or repetitive movement that exposes him or her to harm.
Water faucets
A fixture for drawing or regulating the flow of water from a pipe.
Water intake
The amount of water consumed from foods, plain drinking water, and other beverages.
Water pitcher
A container for holding water that usually has a lip or spout and a handle. (Jug)
Water temperature
A physical property expressing how hot or cold water is.
Weak side
Loss of physical strength on one side from a stroke or injury also called the involved side.
Weakness
The state or condition of lacking strength.
Well balanced meal
A meal that has a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Well-being
The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.
Wheelchair safety
Actions or precaution taken to ensure the safety of the person in or using a wheel chair.
White blood cells
A colorless cell that circulates in the blood and body fluids and is involved in counteracting foreign substances and disease.
Withdrawn resident
A resident who doesn’t seem to be aware of other people, is quite unresponsive, or seems to be spending much of their time disconnected from social interaction and activity.
Workplace violence
Verbal, physical or sexual abuse by residents, other staff.
