Macronutrients, Nutrition Assessment, and Fundamentals of Nursing Review

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering macronutrients, energy balance, vitamins, lab values, therapeutic diets, feeding interventions, nursing process, delegation, safety, infection control, and metric conversions.

Carbohydrates (CHO)

Macronutrient with an energy yield of $4\,kcal/g$ and a recommended intake of $45-65\%$ of daily calories.

Simple Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates that provide quick energy and cause rapid blood glucose spikes (e.g., fruit juice, honey, candy).

Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates that take longer to digest, stabilize blood sugar, and are rich in fiber (e.g., brown rice, whole grains).

Dietary Fiber

Component that softens stool, supports bowel health, and lowers the risk of CAD and colorectal cancer; daily goal is $38\,g$ for men and $25\,g$ for women.

Insoluble Fiber

Fiber that does not dissolve in water, adds bulk to stool to speed up waste movement, and helps prevent constipation (e.g., whole wheat flour, nuts, seeds, brown rice).

Soluble Fiber

Fiber that dissolves in water to form a gel, slowing digestion, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol (e.g., oats, legumes, apples, chia seeds).

Glycogen

Stored carbohydrate energy located in the liver and skeletal muscles.

Glycogenolysis

The breakdown of stored glycogen into glucose.

Essential Amino Acids

The $9$ amino acids that cannot be made by the body and must come from food.

Nonessential Amino Acids

The $11$ amino acids that the body can synthesize under normal conditions.

Complete Proteins

Proteins containing all $9$ essential amino acids (e.g., animal products, soy).

Incomplete Proteins

Proteins missing $1$ or more essential amino acids (e.g., plant foods).

Complementary Proteins

Two incomplete protein sources eaten together that supply all $9$ essential amino acids (e.g., rice and beans).

Positive Nitrogen Balance

State where protein building exceeds breakdown (e.g., growth spurts, pregnancy).

Negative Nitrogen Balance

State where protein breakdown exceeds building (e.g., starvation, severe burns, trauma).

Lipids (Fats)

Most calorie-dense macronutrient yielding $9\,kcal/g$, with a recommended intake of $20-35\%$ of daily calories.

Unsaturated Fats

Heart-healthy "good fats" (e.g., avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil).

Saturated Fats

"Bad fats" from animal products, butter, and dairy that increase cholesterol and heart disease risk.

Trans Fats

"Worst fats" made from hydrogenated oils in processed foods that increase LDL and decrease HDL.

HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)

Known as "happy/good" cholesterol.

LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)

Known as "lousy/bad" cholesterol.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Energy needed at rest to maintain essential life-sustaining functions (breathing, circulation, brain/organ function).

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K ("Fat DECK of cards") stored in the liver and fatty tissues; excess intake can cause toxicity.

Vitamin K

Fat-soluble vitamin essential for blood clotting that antagonizes blood thinners like warfarin (Coumadin).

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins C and B complex, which are not stored in large amounts, have excess excreted by kidneys, and require regular replenishment.

Fasting Blood Glucose Target

Normal target range of $70-100\,mg/dL$ after $8\text{ hrs}$ NPO.

Serum Albumin

Lab value where $< 3.5\,g/dL$ indicates high risk for malnutrition and poor tissue healing.

White Blood Cell (WBC) Count

Normal range of $5,000-10,000/\text{mm}^3$, elevated in acute infection.

DETERMINE Assessment Tool

Older adult nutritional assessment tool: Disease, Eating poorly, Tooth loss, Economic hardship, Reduced social contact, Multiple meds, Involuntary weight loss/gain, Needs assistance, Elderly $> 80$.

Clear Liquid Diet

Diet composed of liquids transparent to light and liquid at body temp (water, broth, clear juice, black coffee/tea, gelatin, popsicles).

Full Liquid Diet

Diet composed of clear liquids plus opaque liquids (milk, pudding, ice cream, yogurt, custard, shakes).

Mechanical Soft Diet

Diet consisting of chopped or ground foods requiring minimal chewing.

Consistent Carbohydrate Diet

Diabetic diet limiting added sugars and controlling carb portions ($3-5$ carb servings/meal) to prevent glucose spikes.

Cardiac / Low Sodium Diet

Low fat and restricted sodium diet ($< 2000\,mg/day$ for CHF; $< 2400\,mg/day$ for HTN).

Overt Aspiration

Aspiration characterized by symptoms such as coughing, choking, and wheezing.

Silent Aspiration

Aspiration occurring with no symptoms, making it highly dangerous.

Enteral Nutrition

Tube feeding used for a functional GI tract when a patient cannot swallow or take oral intake (e.g., NG tube, PEG/G-tube/J-tube).

Parenteral Nutrition

IV feeding used when a patient has a nonfunctional GI tract (TPN via CVC/PICC or PPN via peripheral IV).

Empty Bag Rule (TPN)

If a TPN bag runs out before the next bag arrives, hang $10\%$ dextrose in water (D10W) to prevent rebound hypoglycemia.

U-EAT Delegation Mnemonic

Mnemonic for tasks ONLY the RN can perform: Care for Unstable patients, Evaluate patient condition, Initial/comprehensive Assessment, Initial patient Teaching/education.

ADPIE Nursing Process

Five steps of the nursing process mapping to clinical judgement: Assessment (Recognize Cues), Diagnosis (Analyze Cues/Hypothesis), Planning (Generate Solutions), Implementation (Take Action), Evaluation (Evaluate/Reflect).

SMART Criteria

Planning phase goal criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timed.

Medical Asepsis

Control or elimination of infectious agents.

Airborne Precautions

Infection control requiring N95 mask PPE for conditions like TB, varicella, pertussis, and measles.

Droplet Precautions

Infection control requiring mask, gown, and gloves PPE for conditions like flu, mumps, and pertussis.

Contact Precautions

Infection control requiring gown and gloves PPE for conditions like MRSA, C. diff, and RSV.

R.A.C.E.

Fire safety acronym: Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish.

P.A.S.S.

Fire extinguisher acronym: Pull pin, Aim @ base, Squeeze handle, Sweep side to side.

1 tsp

5 mL

1 tbs

15 mL

1 oz

30 mL

1 c

240 mL

1 pt

480 mL

1 qt

960 mL

1 L

1000 mL

1 lbs

16 oz, 2.2 lbs = 1 kg

1 inch

2.5 cm

1 kg

1000 g

1 g

1000 mcg

1 mg

1000 mcg