Vocabulary

Question 1

ampoule / ampule

Answer 1

Small glass vial sealed to keep contents sterile; used for subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous medications

Question 2

automatic stop date

Answer 2

Date on which specific categories of medications must be discontinued unless renewed by the physician

Question 3

bolus / IV push (IVP)

Answer 3

Concentrated dose of medication or fluid, frequently given intravenously

Question 4

capsule

Answer 4

Gelatinous, single-dose container in which a drug is enclosed to prevent the patient from tasting the drug

Question 5

Central Line Catheter

or

Central Venous Catheter (CVC)

Answer 5

Large catheter that provides access to the veins and/or to the heart to measure pressures

Question 6

flagging

Answer 6

A method used by the physician to notify the nursing staff that a new set of orders has been written

Question 7

hypnotics

Answer 7

Drugs that reduce pain or induce sleep; can include sedatives, analgesics, and anesthetics

Question 8

intramuscular (IM) injection

Answer 8

Injection of a medication into a muscle

Question 9

IV push

Answer 9

Method of giving concentrated doses of medication directly into the vein

Question 10

Kardex

Answer 10

A file used by the nursing staff to maintain a current patient profile

Question 11

Medication Administration Record (MAR)

Answer 11

List of medications that each individual patient is currently taking; it is used by the nurse to administer the medications

Question 12

narcotic

Answer 12

Controlled drug that relieves pain or produces sleep

Question 13

parenteral routes

Answer 13

Methods other than oral for giving fluids or medications (i.e. injections or intravenously)

Question 14

Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA)

Answer 14

Medications administered intravenously by means of a special infusion pump controlled by the patient within order ranges written by the physician

Question 15

routine order

Answer 15

A doctor’s order that remains in effect and is executed as ordered until the doctor discontinues or changes it

Question 16

subcutaneous injection

Answer 16

Injection of a small amount of medication under the skin into fatty or connective tissue

Question 17

signing off

Answer 17

A process of recording data on the doctor’s order sheet to indicate the completion of transcription of a set of doctor’s orders

Question 18

STAT order

Answer 18

A doctor’s order that is to be executed immediately, then automatically discontinued

Question 19

suppository

Answer 19

Medicated substance mixed in a solid base that melts when placed in a body opening; suppositories are commonly used in the rectum, vagina, or urethra

Question 20

suspension

Answer 20

Fine-particle drug suspended in liquid

Question 21

symbols

Answer 21

Notations written in ink on the doctor’s sheet to indicate completion of a step of the transcription process

Question 22

tablet

Answer 22

Solid dosage of a drug in a disk form

Question 23

topical

Answer 23

Direct application of a medication to the skin, eye, ear, or other parts of the body

Question 24

Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)

Answer 24

Method used to administer calories, proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients into the bloodstream of a patient who is unable to eat. Must be infused into the superior vena cava through a central line catheter - not given through a peripheral IV catheter