Midterm Flashcards
Combining Vowel
When a medical term contains more than one root, each is joined by a vowel, usually an “o”. It allows for easier pronunciation.
Ex. hyperlipoproteinemia
Simple vs Compound suffixes
Simple: form basic terms. For example -ic meaning pertaining to. When combined with the root gastr it forms gastric
Compound: Formed by a root and a suffix combined to create another suffix. For example the root tom (to cut) combined with the suffix -y forms the compound suffix -tomy meaning incision
4 catagories of suffixes
Symptomatic suffix: describes the evidence of illness. Ex: -spasm
Diagnostic suffix: identifies a medical condition. Ex: -emia or -itis
Surgical suffix: describes a surgical treatment. Ex: -tomy or -ectomy
General suffix: has general application such as to form an adjective or noun. Ex: -al, -ic, or -logy
4 rules of medical terminology
- A combining vowel is used to join a root to another root or to a suffix that begins with a consonant. Ex: gastr/o + entr/o + -stomy
- A combining vowel is NOT used before a suffix that begins with a vowel. Ex: vas/o + -ectomy is spelled vasectomy
- If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the same, drop one and do NOT use a combining vowel. Ex: cardi + -itis is spelled carditis
- Occasionally when a prefix ends in a vowel and the root begins with a vowel, the vowel is dropped from the prefix. Ex: para- + enter/o + -al is spelled parenteral
Macron and breve
Macron is placed above vowels that have a long sound (when they say their letter name such as the ā in day or the ē in bee). It is a straight line above the letter
Breve is placed over vowels that have short sounds such as ă in alone or the ŭ in sun. It is a little curve above the letter
Levels of organization
cell - tissue - organ - organ system - organism
Body planes
Coronal/Frontal = front and back (or anterior/ventral and posterior/dorsal) halves
Sagittal = right and left halves
Transverse = top and bottom (or superior/cephalic and inferior/caudal) halves
Recumbent meaning
Decubitus meaning
Supine vs Prone
Recumbent: lying down
Decubitus: lying down especially in a bed. Lateral decubitus is lying on your side
Supine: lying on back; face up
Prone: lying on stomach; face down
Flexion vs Extension
Flexion: bending at the joint. Angle between bones is decreased
Extension: straightening at the joint. Angle between bones is increased
Abduction vs Adduction
Abduction: movement away from the body
Adduction: movement towards the body
Rotation
circular movement around an axis
Eversion vs Inversion
Eversion: turning outwards (ex. foot)
Inversion: turning inwards (ex. foot)
Supination vs Pronation
Supination: turning upward or forward of the palmar surface (palm of hand) or plantar surface (sole of foot)
Pronation: turning downward or backward of the palmar surface (palm of hand) or plantar surface (sole of foot)
Dorsiflexion vs Plantar flexion
Dorsiflexion: bending of the toes or the foot upward
Plantar flexion: bending of the sole of the foot by curling toes towards ground
Divisions of the abdomen
4 quadrants: Right upper, left upper, right lower, left lower
- Right and left hypochondriac regions (top, lateral)
- Epigastric region (in between the hypochondriac regions)
- Umbilical region (below epigastric region. Right in the centre)
- Right and left lumbar regions (on either side of the umbilical region)
- Right and left iliac regions (below lumbar regions)
- Hypogastric region (between the iliac regions and below the umbilical region)
H&P
Hx
CC
c/o
History and physical
History
Chief Complaint
Complains of
PI
HPI
Sx
PH/PMH
Present illness
History of present illness
Symptoms
Past history/past medical history
UCHD
NKDA
FH
SH
OH
Usual childhood diseases
No known drug allergies
Family history (A&W = alive and well or L&W = living and well)
Social history (hobbies, alcohol, use of tobacco)
Occupational history
ROS/SR
PE
Px
NAD
Review of systems/systems review (head to toe review of all body systems to evaluate other symptoms that may not have been mentioned)
Physical examination
Physical
No acute distress
HEENT
PERRLA
WNL
R/O
Head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Pupils equal, round and reactive to light accommodation
Within normal limits
Rule out
IMP
Dx
A
P
Impression
Diagnosis
Assessment (identification of disease or condition is recorded in the IMP, Dx or A)
Plan (plan for treating patient. Also called recommendation or disposition)
SOAP method for documenting patient’s progress
Subjective: what patient describes (only what patient can feel such as shortness of breath or sharp pains)
Objective: test results, vitals, swelling (what we can see/what the patient can’t tell us)
Assessment: patient progress and evaluation of plan effectiveness
Plan: decision to proceed or alter plan strategy
Attending physician
Physician’s orders
Nurse’s notes and physician’s progress notes
Attending physician: doctor who admits patient to the hospital
Physician’s orders: lists the directives for care prescribed by the doctor attending to the patient
Nurse’s notes and physician’s progress notes: record the care throughout the patient’s stay
Consultation report
Operative report
Anesthesiologist’s report
Consultation report: filed after a specialist examines the patient after being called in by the attending physician
Operative report: required from the primary surgeon where a detailed description of the operation is given including method of incision, tools used, method of closure, etc
Anesthesiologist’s report: must be filed post surgery covering the drugs used, dose and time given, and vital signs throughout the procedure
Ancillary reports
Discharge summary
Ancillary reports: note any additional procedures and therapies including diagnostic tests and pathology reports
Discharge summary: also called clinical resume, clinical summary, or discharge abstract summarizes patient’s care (tests, treatments, final diagnoses, date of admission, etc)
AD
AS
AU
OD
OS
OU
AD: right ear
AS: left ear
AU: both ears
OD: right eye
OS: left eye
OU: both eyes
DC
D/C
h.s.
q.d.
q.o.d.
ss
SC, SQ, sub-Q
DC: discharge
D/C: discontinue
h.s.: bedtime
q.d.: everyday
q.o.d.: every other day
ss: one half
SC, SQ, sub-Q: subcutaneous
CCU
ECU
IP
OP
PACU
PAR
RTC
RTO
CCU: coronary (cardiac) care unit
ECU: emergency care unit
IP: inpatient
OP: outpatient
PACU: post-anesthesia care unit
PAR: post-anesthesia recovery
RTC: return to clinic
RTO: return to office
BRP
CP
ETOH
L with circle around it
R with circle around it
m with circle around it
BRP: bathroom privileges
CP: chest pain
ETOH: ethyl alcohol
L with circle around it: left
R with circle around it: right
m with circle around it: murmur
Pt
RRR
SOB
Tr
Tx
VS
Pt: patient
RRR: regular rate and rhythm
SOB: shortness of breath
Tr: treatment
Tx: treatment, traction
VS: vital signs
T
P
R
BP
Ht
Wt
WDWN
y/o
T: temperature
P: pulse
R: respiration
BP: blood pressure
Ht: height
Wt: weight
WDWW: well developed well nourished
y/o: years old
cc
g or gm
cu mm
fl oz
gr
gt
gtt
qt
cc: cubic centimeter
g or gm: gram
cu mm: cubic millimeter
fl oz: fluid ounce
gr: grain
gt: drop
gtt: drops
qt: quart
Tab
Cap
Suppos
p.o
SL
PV
PR
Tab: tablet
Cap: capsule
Suppos: suppository (inserted into body and continuously releases medication)
p.o: per os = by mouth
SL: sublingual = under the tongue
PV: per vagina
PR: per rectum
ID
IM
IV
Transdermal
ID: intradermal = within the skin
IM: intramuscular = within the muscle
IV: intravenous = within the vein
Transdermal: absorption of drug through unbroken skin
Rx
Sig
Rx: recipe (commonly used to identify a prescription)
Sig: specific instructions for administration
Chemical name
Generic name
Trade or brand name
Chemical name: assigned to the drug in the lab at the time it is invented. It is the formula for the drug written according to its chemical structure
Generic name: the official, nonproprietary name
Trade or brand name: the manufacturer’s name for a drug
ā
a.c.
a.m.
b.i.d.
d
h
noc
p̄
ā: before
a.c.: before meals
a.m.: before noon
b.i.d.: twice a day
d: day
h: hour
noc: night
p̄: after
p.c.
p.m.
p.r.n.
q
qh
q2h
q.i.d.
q.o.d.
p.c.: after meals
p.m.: after noon
p.r.n.: as needed
q: every
qh: every hour
q2h: every 2 hours
q.i.d.: 4 times a day
q.o.d.: every other day
STAT
t.i.d.
ad lib.
c̅
NPO
per
s̅
STAT: immediately
t.i.d.: three times a day
ad lib.: as desired
c̅: with
NPO: nothing by mouth
per: by or through
s̅: without
Acute
Benign
Chronic
Degeneration
Acute: a condition that has intense, often severe symptoms in a short course
Benign: mild or noncancerous
Chronic: a condition that develops slowly and persists over time
Degeneration: gradual deterioration of normal cells and body functions
Degenerative disease
Etiology
Exacerbation
Febrile
Degenerative disease: any disease in which deterioration of the structure or function of tissue occurs
Etiology: the cause of a disease
Exacerbation: an aggravation or flare up of symptoms
Febrile: relating to a fever
Localized
Malignant
Prognosis
Progressive
Remission
Localized: limited to a definite area or part of the body
Malignant: harmful, cancerous
Prognosis: prediction of the likely outcome
Progressive: the advance of a condition as the signs and symptoms increase in severity
Remission: a period in which symptoms and signs stop
Sign vs Symptom
Sign: a mark; objective evidence of disease that can be seen or verified by an examiner
Symptom: subjective evidence of disease that is perceived by the patient and often noted in their words
Communication loop
Sender –> Receiver –> Feedback
The end goal of communication is understanding
Barriers to communication
Process - disease (such as Alzheimer’s)
Personal - cultural/personal beliefs, fear, healthcare worker has a bad day and patient picks up on it
Physical - immobility, hearing aids, glasses
Semantic - language difference, miscommunication, jargon, symbols with different meaning (misinterpretation). Ex: using words the patient won’t know, have to dumb it down
Goals of patient communication
Primary: proximal to the purpose of the specific patient - professional interaction; e.g. gather information, make decisions, informed consent.
Enabling: elements that affect the ability to achieve primary goals; building trusting relationship (first impressions ie smile to make them feel comfortable)
Secondary: bi-product of effect communication; e.g. reduced anxiety as a result of the interaction .
Verbal and Nonverbal communication
Verbal: spoken. Makes up 35% of face to face communication
Nonverbal: facial expressions, tone of voice, movement, appearance, eye contact, gestures, posture, etc. Makes up 65% of face to face communication
DISC
D: DOMINANT
- Direct, decisive, doer, demanding, task focused, active
I: INFLUENTIAL
- inspirational, interactive, interesting, impulsive, irritating, people focused, active
S: STEADY
- stable, supportive, sincere, slow, sensitive, people focused, reflective
C: COMPLIANT
- cautious, careful, conscientious, calculating, condescending, task focused, reflective