Vocabulary Flashcards
abrupt:
Sudden.
ex: The nurse noticed an abrupt change in the patient’s level of pain.
Abstain:
To voluntarily refrain from something.
ex: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to abstain from smoking to improve his breath odor.
Access:
A means to obtain entry or a means of approach.
ex: To administer medications into the patient’s vein, the nurse must access the vein with a special needle.
Accountable:
Responsible.
ex: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge of resuscitation techniques.
Adhere:
To hold fast or stick together.
ex: The tape must adhere to the patient’s skin to hold the bandage in place.
Adverse:
Undesired, possibly harmful.
ex: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.
Affect:
Appearance of observable emotions.
ex: The nurse observed that a depressed patient exhibited no obvious emotion and reported that the patient had a flat affect.
Annual:
Occurring every year.
Apply:
To place, put on, or spread something
ex: The physical therapist will apply a medication to the wound before covering the wound with a bandage.
Audible:
Able to be heard.
ex: The respiratory therapist noticed that when the patient was having difficulty breathing, the therapist could hear an audible wheezing sound.
Bilateral:
Present on two sides.
ex: The unlicensed assistive personnel reported to the nurse that the patient had bilateral weakness in the legs when walking.
Cardiac:
Of or relating to the heart.
ex: Smoking increases the risk of cardiac disease.
Cast:
Hard protective device applied to protect a broken bone while the bone heals.
Cavity:
An opening or an empty area.
ex: The nurse inspected the patient’s oral cavity for lesions.
Cease:
Come to an end or bring to an end.
ex: Because the patient’s breathing had ceased, the paramedic began resuscitation measures.
Compensatory:
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:
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:
Do as directed.
ex: The nursed asked the patient to comply with the instructions for taking the medication.
Concave:
Rounded inward.
ex: The dietitian noticed that the patient was very thing and the patient’s abdomen appeared concave.
Concise:
Brief, to the point.
ex: When teaching a patient, the nurse tried to be concise, so the instructions would be easy to remember.
Consistency:
Degree of Viscosity; 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 together or 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.
ex: The hygienist told the patient that a healthy mouth is contingent on careful daily brushing and flossing.
Contour:
shaped or outline of a shape.
ex: While bathing an overweight patient, the unlicensed assistive personnel noticed that the contour of the patient’s abdomen was quite rounded.
Contract:
To draw together, to reduce in size.
ex: The physical therapist exercises the patient’s muscles so they contract and expand.
Contraindication:
A reason why something is not advisable or why it should not be done.
ex: The patient’s excessive bleeding was a contraindication for discharge from the hospital.
Defecate:
Expel feces.
ex: The unlicensed assistive personnel helped the patient to the toilet when he needed to defecate.
Deficit:
A deficiency or lack of something.
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:
Press downward.
ex: The nurse will depress the patient’s skin to see if any swelling is present.
Depth:
Downward measurement from a surface.
ex: The physician measures the depth of a wound by inserting a cotton swab into the wound.
Deteriorating:
Worsening.
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:
Tool or piece of equipment.
ex: A thermometer is a device used to measure the patient’s body temperature.
Diagnosis:
Identification of an injury or disease.
ex: The patient received a diagnosis of pancreatitis..
Diameter:
The distance across the center of an object.
ex: When measuring a patient’s blood pressure, the nurse knows that when the diameter of a blood vessel increases, the pressure in that blood vessel goes down.
Dilate:
To enlarge or 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 less concentrated.
ex: The nurse uses fruit juice to dilute a foul-tasting drug so that the medication will be easier to swallow.
Discrete:
Distinct, separate.
ex: The paramedic observed several discrete bruise marks on the patient’s body.
Distended:
Enlarged or expanded from pressure.
ex: When a blood vessel is distended, the laboratory technician can easily insert a needle to obtain a blood sample.
Dysfunction:
Impaired or abnormal functioning.
ex: Family dysfunction may increase when a member experiences an acute physical illness.
Elevate:
To lift up or place in a higher position.
ex: The paramedic decided to elevate the head of the stretcher to help the patient breathe more easily.
Endogenous:
Produced 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 make worse or more severe.
ex: The physical therapist recognized that too much exercise would exacerbate the patient’s breathing difficulties.
Excess:
More than what is needed or usual.
ex: The dietitian explained that an excess consumption of caffeine may cause unpleasant effects such as feeling nervous an on edge.
Exogenous:
Produced outside 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 size or amount.
ex: The unlicensed assistive personnel turns the patient frequently so that the size of the skin sore will not expand any further.
Exposure:
Contact.
ex: The nurse taught the parents of a newborn to avoid exposure to people with severe infections.
External:
Located outside the body.
ex: The unlicensed assistive personnel measured the amount of blood in the external drain after the patient’s surgery.
Fatal:
Resulting in death.
ex: The ER medical technicians arrived too late to save any lives at the scene of a fatal car accident.
Fatigue:
Extreme tiredness, exhaustion.
ex: The dietician explained to the patient that eating more iron-rich food may help reduce feelings of fatigue.
