RCC CNA Modules 12 & 14 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, clinical concepts, definitions, and procedures from RCC CNA Modules 12 & 14.

Signs of Distress

Objective findings of physical distress that can be observed or measured, such as excessive bleeding, altered respirations, altered heart rate, altered blood pressure, nonresponsiveness, or altered mental state.

Symptoms of Distress

Subjective complaints described by a resident, such as difficulty breathing, feeling the throat closing, chest pain or pressure, numbness/tingling, nausea, or visual disturbances.

Partial Airway Obstruction

A condition where a resident's airway is partially blocked but they are still exchanging some air; management includes encouraging coughing and monitoring closely without interfering.

Severe Airway Obstruction

A complete or near-complete blockage of the airway characterized by little to no air exchange with a high-pitched wheeze or no sound at all, requiring immediate EMS activation and intervention.

Cardiac Arrest

A medical emergency in which the heart is unable to contract and pump blood throughout the body.

Syncope

A temporary, sudden loss of consciousness, usually caused by a decreased level of oxygen in the brain.

Absence Seizure

A seizure affecting only a small area of the brain where the individual remains conscious, lasting seconds to a couple minutes, often marked by staring, repetitive extremity movement, or aphasia.

Generalized (Grand Mal) Seizure

A seizure affecting large parts of the brain in which the individual loses consciousness, collapses, and shakes uncontrollably, with risks of bowel/bladder loss and aspiration.

Status Epilepticus

A life-threatening seizure lasting longer than $5\,\text{minutes}$, carrying risks of brain damage, hyperthermia, cardiac arrest, and respiratory arrest.

Internal Hemorrhage

Bleeding inside the body resulting from organ trauma or excessive anticoagulants, indicated by blood in urine/feces, bruising, a distended abdomen, or black tarry stools.

Arterial Bleeding

Severe external bleeding characterized by bright red blood that spurts with each heartbeat.

Venous Bleeding

External bleeding characterized by darker red blood flowing steadily from a wound.

Shock

A life-threatening disruption of the cardiovascular system in which the heart does not pump blood effectively and the body does not receive adequate oxygen.

Cardiogenic Shock

A type of shock caused by the heart failing to pump effectively, often due to a myocardial infarction.

Anaphylactic Shock

A type of shock caused by severe allergic reactions leading to uncontrollable dilation of blood vessels.

Hypovolemic Shock

A type of shock caused by extreme blood loss, such as from a gunshot wound or motor vehicle accident.

Superficial Burn

A burn involving only the epidermis layer of skin, presenting with reddened, swollen, and very sensitive skin.

Partial-Thickness Burn

A burn involving both the epidermis and dermis layers, presenting as very painful with red, swollen, and blistered skin.

Full-Thickness Burn

A burn involving the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue (and potentially deep muscles/tendons); it may not hurt initially due to nerve destruction.

Restraint

Any physical, chemical, or environmental measure that prevents free movement; restraints are not safety devices and can increase physical and emotional harm.

Mechanical Restraint

A physical device attached to or adjacent to the resident's body, such as a wrist, waist, vest, or mitt restraint, to restrict freedom of movement.

Chemical Restraint

An anti-anxiety or antipsychotic medication administered to limit a resident's purposeful movement or control behavior.

Environmental Restraint

A modification or barrier within the physical environment that prevents a resident's purposeful movement.

Physical Therapy (PT)

Therapy services focused on gross motor skills for activities of daily living (ADLs), including walking, navigating stairs, and fall prevention.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Therapy services focused on fine motor rehabilitation and retraining for ADLs and IADLs, such as bathing, dressing, washing clothes, and cooking.

Speech Therapy

Evaluation and treatment for speech, language, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders, conducted by a speech-language pathologist.

Restorative Care

Care and planned activities provided by nursing assistants or restorative aides designed to maintain a resident's optimal level of physical function and independence.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Routine personal care tasks completed daily, such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and ambulation.

Independent Ambulation

Ambulation status in which the resident requires no physical assistance to walk, only verbal encouragement.

Stand-By Assist

Ambulation assistance where the nursing assistant stays close to provide verbal encouragement and occasional guidance, with a gait belt available if needed.

One-Assist

Ambulation requiring one nursing assistant who stays close and keeps at least one hand on the resident's gait belt at all times.

Two-Assist

Ambulation requiring two nursing assistants and mandatory use of a gait belt to assist the resident with standing and walking.

Active Range of Motion (AROM)

Joint exercises performed independently by the resident, while the nursing assistant provides verbal cues and encouragement.

Passive Range of Motion (PROM)

Joint exercises performed entirely by the nursing assistant moving the resident's joints because the resident is unable to perform the movements.

Flexion

A range of motion movement that decreases the angle between two body parts at a joint.

Extension

A range of motion movement that increases the angle between two body parts at a joint.

Hyperextension

Movement of a joint beyond its normal anatomical position or extension limit posterior to anatomical position.

Plantarflexion

Movement at the ankle joint that points the foot and toes downward.

Dorsiflexion

Movement at the ankle joint that bends the foot and toes upward toward the shin.

Abduction

Movement of an extremity away from the central midline of the body.

Adduction

Movement of an extremity toward the central midline of the body.

Hot and Cold Therapies

Applications used to relieve pain and swelling, applied for $10\text{--}15\,\text{minutes}$ at a time, avoiding direct skin contact and avoided in residents with dementia or confusion.