Chapter 3: Workforce Wellness & Personal Safety

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary and concepts related to health, stress, and hygiene practices, useful for exam preparation.

Cleaning

Using soap or detergent and water to clean gross contamination from surfaces.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

A hormone released from the anterior pituitary gland that acts on the adrenal glands, causing secretion of epinephrine and cortisol.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

A three-phase model of the physiological response to stress…(ARE)

• Alarm

• Resistance

• Exhaustion

Wellness

Health and balance in mind, body, and spirit.

Stress

The body’s response to a stressor.

Communicable disease

Infectious disease that can be spread from person to person through direct or indirect contact.

Healthy People 2020

A report on the health status of people in the United States and recommendations for actions to improve health, published every 10 years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sterilizing

Using a steam or chemical process to kill all microorganisms on medical supplies, devices, and equipment.

Body fluids

Are fluids such as… (PBR)

• Plasma

• Blood

• Respiratory secretions

• and others related to infectious disease.

Direct transmission

Spread of a communicable disease from one person to another through direct contact. Such as…

• Kissing

• Touching

• Sexual contact

• Droplets from coughing or sneezing at close range

Acute stress reaction

Signs and symptoms that occur on exposure to a stressor, lasting up to four weeks.

Homeostasis

The state of dynamic equilibrium maintained by the body through processes of feedback and adjustment.

Cortisol

A stress hormone released from the outer portion of the adrenal glands to help the body cope with stressors.

Micro-organisms

Microscopic living things, such as bacteria.

Cumulative stress

The sum of the effects of exposure to stressors over time.

Burnout

Physical and psychological exhaustion occurring from prolonged stress.

Body mechanics

Using the body properly in performance of tasks to prevent injury.

Fight-or-flight response

A sympathetic nervous system response to a stressor that prepares the body to react.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Articles worn for protection against safety risks.

Nosocomial infections

(Naa-suh-co-me-uhl)

Infections acquired in a health care setting.

Standard Precautions

Safeguards taken to prevent exposure to communicable diseases.

Inflammation

The response of the body to injury as part of the repair and healing process.

Stressor

Something that places a demand on a person psychologically or physiologically.

Health

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.

Indirect transmission

Transfer of pathogens between two individuals by way of contaminated objects or vectors, like mosquitoes or ticks.

Coping mechanisms

Psychological responses used to reduce the effects of a stressor.

Mucous membranes

Mucus-secreting epithelial (eh-puh-thee-lee-uhl) linings of body cavities exposed to the external environment.

Omega fatty acids

Unsaturated fats with health benefits, including decreasing heart disease.

Infectious diseases

Illnesses caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

Epinephrine

A stress hormone released to prepare the body to respond to a stressor.

Antioxidant

A substance that limits cellular damage caused by the breakdown of molecules.

Exposure

Contact between a person’s mucous membranes or nonintact skin with infectious fluids.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A severe, delayed response to a stressor that interferes with functioning.

Phytonutrients

Naturally occurring plant substances that may play important roles in health.

Disinfecting

Using a chemical disinfectant to kill most microorganisms on a surface.

Pathogens

Disease-causing microorganisms.

Biohazard

Any type of biological substance that could produce harm or disease.

Scene size-up

Evaluating the setting in which a patient is found for obtaining information.

Body mass index (BMI)

A ratio of a person’s weight to height, used as a measure of obesity.

Circadian rhythm

A pattern of physiologic and behavioral changes that occur over a 24-hour period.