list 1 Flashcards
abrupt
sudden or unexpected. ex: The nurse noticed an abrupt change in the patient’s level of pain.
abstain
To voluntarily refrain from something. The dental hygenist instructed patient to abstain from smoking to improve his breath.
access
the ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, speak with, or use; admittance. ex: To administer medications into the patient’s vein, the nurse must access the vein with a special needle.
accountable
subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable. ex: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge of resuscitation techniques.
adhere
to stay attached; hold fast; stick together. ex: The tape must adhere to the patient’s skin to hold the bandage in place.
adverse
unfavorable or antagonistic in purpose or effect; possibly harmful. ex: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.
affect
an expressed or observed emotional response. ex: The nurse observed that a depressed patient exhibited no obvious emotion and reported that the patient had a flat affect
annual
of, for, or pertaining to a year; yearly. ex: The patient told the nurse that she had scheduled her annual mammogram, as she had been instructed
apply
to place in contact with; lay or spread on. ex: The physical therapist will apply a medication to the wound before covering the wound with a bandage.
audible
capable of being heard; loud enough to be heard; actually heard. ex: The respiratory therapist noticed that when the patient was having difficulty breathing, the therapist could hear an audible wheezing sound.
bilateral
pertaining to, involving, or affecting two or both sides. ex: The assistant reported to the nurse that the patient had bilateral weakness in the legs when walking.
cast
a rigid surgical dressing, usually made of bandage treated with plaster of Paris. ex: The nurse instructed the child that he could no go swimming while the cast was on his broken arm.
cease
to stop; discontinue. ex: Because the patient’s breaking had ceased, the paramedic began resuscitation measures.
compensatory
serving to compensate as for loss, lack, or injury; offsetting or making up for something. ex: When the patient’s blood pressure decreased, the paramedic noted that the heart rate increased, which the paramedic recognized as a compensatory action.
complication
something that introduces, usually unexpectedly, some difficulty, problem, change, etc; an undesired problem that is the result of some other event. ex: The physician told the patient that loss of eyesight is a possible complication of eye surgery.
comply
to act or be in accordance with wishes, requests, demands, requirements, conditions, etc.; do as directed. ex: The nurse asked the patient to comply with the instructions for taking the medication.
concave
curved like a segment of the interior of a circle or hollow sphere; rounded inward. ex: The dietician noticed that the patient was very thin, and the patient’s abdomen appeared concave.
concise
expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse. ex: When teaching a patient, the nurse tried to be concise, so the instructions would be easy to remember
consistency
a degree of density, firmness, viscosity, etc.; how thick or thin a fluid is. ex: The respiratory therapist noticed that the mucus the patient was coughing was of a thin, watery consistency.
constrict
to draw or press in; cause to contract or shrink; compress; become smaller. ex: The nurse knows that the small blood vessels of the skin will constrict when ice is applied to the skin.
contingent
dependent for existence, occurrence, etc., on something not yet certain; conditional. ex: The hygienist told the patient that a healthy mouth is contingent on careful daily brushing and flossing.
contour
the outline of a figure or body; the edge or line that defines or bounds a shape or object. ex: While bathing an overweight patient, the assisting personnel noticed that the contour of the patient’s abdomen was quite rounded.
contract
to become drawn together or reduced in compass; become smaller; shrink. (also: to get or acquire, as by exposure to something contagious.) ex: The physical therapist exercises the patient’s muscles so they contract and expand.
contraindication
(of a symptom or condition) to give indication against the advisability of (a particular or usual remedy or treatment). ex: The patient’s excessive bleeding was a contraindication for discharge from the hospital.
defecate
to void excrement from the bowels through the anus; have a bowel movement. ex: The assisting personnel helped the patient to the toilet when he needed to defecate.
deficit
a lack or shortage; deficiency. ex: The therapist explained that the patient will experience a fluid deficit if the patient continues to perspire heavily during exercise without drinking enough fluids.
depress
to press down. ex: The nurse will depress the patient’s skin to see if any swelling is present.
dept
a dimension taken through an object or body of material, downward from an upper surface. ex: The physician measures the depth of a wound by inserting a cotton swab into the wound.
deteriorating
to become worse. ex: The dental hygienist explains that the condition of the patient’s gums is deteriorating, and treatment by the dentist is needed right away
device
a tool made for a particular purpose. ex: A thermometer is a device used to measure the patient’s body temperature.
diameter
a distance passing across or through the center of an object. ex: The nurse observed the diameter of a blood vessel increase.
dilate
to make wider or larger; cause to expand. ex: When shining a light in the patient’s eyes, the nurse looks to see if both pupils dilate in response to the light.
dilute
to make a liquid thinner or weaker, less concentrated. ex: So that the medication will be easier to swallow, the nurse uses fruit juice to dilute a foul-tasting drug.
discrete
apart or detached from others; separate; distinct. ex: The paramedic observed several discrete bruise marks on the patient’s body.
distended
to enlarge or expand by stretching, possibly from pressure. ex: When a blood vessel is distended, it is easier for the laboratory technician to insert a needle to obtain a blood sample.
elevate
to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up. ex: The paramedic decided to elevate the head of the stretcher in order to help the patient breathe more easily.
endogenous
proceeding from within; derived internally (within the body.) ex: The nurse explained that endogenous insulin produced by the body’s pancreas helps regulate the body’s blood sugar levels.
exacerbate
to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate. ex: The physical therapist recognized that too much exercise would exacerbate the patient’s breathing difficulties.
excess
more than or above what is necessary, usual, or specified; extra. ex: The dietician explained that an excess consumption of caffeine may cause unpleasant affects such as feeling nervous and on edge.
exogenous
originating from outside; derived externally (from the body.) ex: The nurse explained that people with diabetes often need to receive exogenous forms of insulin because their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin.
expand
to increase in extent, size, volume, scope, amount, etc. ex: The assisting personnel turns the patient frequently so that the size of the skin sore will not expand any further.
exposure
coming into contact with; the act of exposing. ex: The nurse taught the parents of a newborn to avoid exposure to people with severe infections.
external
of or pertaining to the outside or outer part (of the body.) ex: The assisting personnel measured the amount of blood in the external drain after the patient’s surgery.
fatal
causing or capable of causing death; mortal; deadly. ex: The emergency medical technicians arrived too late to save any lives at the scene of a fatal car accident.
fatigue
weariness from bodily or mental exertion; exhaustion. ex: The dietician explained to the patient that eating more iron-rich foods may help reduce feelings of fatigue.
flaccid
soft and limp; not firm; lacking tone. ex: After her stroke, the patient could not feed herself because her arms were flaccid
flushed
reddened or ruddy appearance. ex: The therapist observed that the patient’s face was flushed after completing the exercises.
gaping
opened wide. ex: In the emergency room, the nurse observed a gaping wound when examining a gunshot victim.
gender
sex of an individual, as in male or female. ex: Being of female gender places patients at higher risk for breast cancer.
hydration
maintenance of body fluid balance. ex: The nurse explains that adequate hydration helps keep skin soft and supple.
hygiene
measures contributing to the preservation of health, as in cleanliness. ex: The dental assistant teaches patients about good hygiene practices to maintain strong teeth.
impaired
diminished or lacking some usual quality or level. ex: The paramedic stated that the patient’s impaired speech was obvious in the way she slurred her words.
impending
to be imminent; be about to happen; likely to occur soon. ex: The nurse observed the patient signing the consent form for the impending procedure.
incidence
occurrence; a falling upon, affecting, or befalling. ex: In recent years there has been an increased incidence of infections that do not respond to antibiotics.
inflamed
reddened, swollen, warm, and often tender. ex: The nurse observed that the skin around the patient’s wound was inflamed.
ingest
to take into the body for digestion. ex: The paramedic may contact the poison control center when providing emergency care for a child who has ingested cleaning fluid.
initiate
to begin, or put into practice. ex: The nurse decided to initiate safety measures to prevent injury because the patient was very weak.
insidious
so gradual as to not become apparent for a long time; operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect. ex: The cancer had not been detected because its spread was so insidious.
intact
in place; unharmed; not altered, broken, or impaired; remaining uninjured, sound, or whole. ex: The nurse observed that the bandage was intact after surgery.
internal
situated or existing in the interior of something (the body.) ex: The paramedic reported that the patient was unconscious because of internal bleeding.
invasive
requiring the entry of a needle, catheter, or other instrument into a part of the body, especially in a diagnostic procedure, as a biopsy. ex: The invasive procedure may cause problems such as infection or bleeding.
labile
changing rapidly and often; apt or likely to change. ex: Because the child’s temperature was very liable, the nurse instructed the assisting personnel to check the temperature frequently.
latent
present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential. ex: The latent infection produced symptoms only when the patient’s condition was weakened from another illness.
lethargic
difficult to arouse. ex: The assisting personnel observed that the morning after a patient received a sleeping pill, the patient was too lethargic to eat breakfast.
manifestation
an indication or sign of a condition. ex: The dietician looked for manifestations of poor nutrition, such as excessive weight loss and poor skin condition.
nutrient
substance or ingredient that provides nourishment. ex: The dietician explains that fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that reduce the risk of some cancers.
occluded
closed or obstructed. ex: because the patient’s foot was cold and blue, the nurse reported that the patient’s circulation to that foot was occluded.
ominous
significantly important and dangerous. ex: After a patient sustained a head injury, the paramedic noted that the patient’s breathing was irregular, which was an ominous sign that the patient’s condition was deteriorating.
ongoing
continuing without termination or interruption. ex: The nurse instructed the patient that the treatment would be ongoing throughout the patient’s entire hospital stay.
oral
given through, or affecting the mouth. ex: The assisting personnel reminded the patient not to take any fluids orally because he was scheduled for surgery.
overt
obvious, easily observed. ex: The overt symptoms of the disease included vomiting and diarrhea.
parameter
a characteristic or constant factor. ex: The dietician explained that the number of calories needed for energy is one of the important parameters of a healthy diet
paroxysmal
beginning suddenly or abruptly. ex: The respiratory therapist provided a breathing treatment to stop the patient’s paroxysmal breathing difficulty
patent
open, as a passageway. ex: The nurse checked to see whether the intravenous needle was patent before giving the patient a medication.
potent
producing a strong effect. ex: The medication was very potent, and it immediately relieved the patient’s pain.
potential
capable of occurring or likely to occur. ex: Because the patient was very weak, the therapist felt the patient had high potential for falling
precaution
a measure taken in advance to avert possible harm or to secure good results; preventative measure. ex: The laboratory technician wore gloves as a precaution against blood contamination.
precipitous
rapid, uncontrolled. ex: The paramedic assisted the pregnant woman during a precipitous delivery in her home.
predispose
to give an inclination or tendency to beforehand; make susceptible or more likely to occur. ex: The dietician explains that high dietary fat intake predisposes some persons to heart disease.
preexisting
already present, to exist beforehand. ex: The nurse notified the physician that the patient has a preexisting condition that might lead to complications during the emergency surgery.
primary
first or most significant. ex: The patient’s primary concern was when he could return to work after the operation.
priority
highest or higher in importance. ex: The laboratory technician was gentle when inserting the needle because it is a high priority to ensure that the patient does not experience excessive pain and discomfort during the procedure.
prognosis
the anticipated or expected course or outcome. ex: The physician explained that with treatment the patient’s prognosis would be a long and healthy life.
rationale
the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something; the underlying reason. ex: To make sure that the patient will follow the diet instructions, the dietician explains the rationale for the low-salt diet.
recur
to occur again. ex: To make sure that a tooth cavity does not recur, the dental hygienist instructs the patient to use toothpaste with fluoride regularly.
restrict
to limit. ex: The assisting personnel removed the water pitcher from the room to assist the patient in following instructions to restrict the intake of fluids.
retain
to hold or keep possession of. ex: The nurse administered a medication to prevent the patient from retaining excess body fluid, which might cause unpleasant swelling.
site
location. ex: The nurse selected a site to start the patient’s IV based on comfort for the patient.
status
condition. ex: The paramedic recognized that the patient’s status was unstable, which necessitated immediate transport to the nearest medical center.
strict
stringent, exact, complete. ex: The nurse stressed that the patient must follow instructions to maintain strict bed rest to prevent further injury.
supplement
to take in addition to or to complete. ex: The dietician instructed the patient to supplement their diet with extra calcium tablets to help build strong bones.
supress
to subdue; to stop or arrest (a flow, hemorrhage, cough, etc.). ex: When the child’s fever came down, the nurse checked to see if any medications had been given that would have suppressed the fever.
symmetric (symmetrical)
being equal or the same in size, shape, and relative position. ex: The paramedic observed that the bilateral movement of the patient’s chest was symmetrical after the accident.
symptom
an indication of a problem. ex: The nurse recognized that the patient’s weakness was a symptom of bleeding after surgery.
untoward
adverse or negative. ex: the patient became very confused, which was an untoward effect of the medication received
urinate
to pass or discharge urine. ex: The nurse instructed the patient to report any discomfort felt during urination.
verbal
spoken, using words. ex: The paramedic called in a verbal report on the patient’s condition to the emergency room nurse while transporting the patient to the hospital.
vital
essential; also, of or pertaining to life. ex: The paramedic knows that it is vital to learn what type of poison was taken when caring for a poisoning victim.
void
to defecate or urinate. ex: The patient was instructed to void into the container so the nurse could observe the appearance of the urine.
volume
amount of space occupied by a fluid. ex: The nurse recorded the volume of cough syrup administered to the patient.
