Adult and Elder Care Study Guide - Quiz 1

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from the Adult and Elder study guide lecture material.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment

An evaluation approach in which assessing a patient's functional ability is often more critical than simply identifying their clinical diagnoses.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Basic self-care tasks used to measure functional status, specifically including bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting.

Somatic Pain

Pain arising from the skin, muscles, bones, or joints that feels sharp, aching, or throbbing, and can easily be pointed to by the patient.

Visceral Pain

Pain originating from internal organs that feels deep, cramping, or pressure-like, and is typically hard to locate.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain caused by damage or dysfunction in nerves or the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by burning, shooting, or numb sensations.

Physiologic Stress Response

The body's internal physical response to stress, driven by the complex interrelationship of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.

Short-Term Effects of Stress

Immediate physiologic responses including increased alertness, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, muscle tension, and altered breathing patterns.

Long-Term Effects of Stress

Chronic impacts of stress including poor concentration, memory problems, sleep disturbances, impaired decision-making, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and worsening of condition such as asthma, diabetes, and anxiety.

Braden Scale

An assessment tool used to screen a client's risk of skin breakdown across six categories: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction & shear.

Braden Scale Risk Categories

Risk classification where lower scores reflect higher risk: $15\text{--}16$ indicates Mild Risk, $12\text{--}14$ indicates Moderate Risk, and a score less than $11$ indicates Severe Risk.

Stage 1 Pressure Injury

A pressure injury involving $1$ layer of damage (epidermis), presenting as red skin that is non-blanchable and not broken.

Stage 2 Pressure Injury

A pressure injury involving $2$ layers of damage (epidermis and dermis), presenting as an open wound with a red or pink, shiny or dry wound bed.

Stage 3 Pressure Injury

A pressure injury involving $3$ layers of damage (epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue) showing full-thickness skin loss into subcutaneous fat, which may tunnel under wound edges.

Stage 4 Pressure Injury

A pressure injury involving $4$ layers of damage that extends all the way down into muscle, bone, or tendon.

Eschar

Black or brown dead necrotic tissue found in pressure injuries (memory trick: EsCHARCOAL); must be debrided before staging can be performed.

Slough

Yellow stringy necrotic tissue found in pressure injuries (memory trick: skin of a chicken); must be debrided before staging can be performed.

Unstageable Pressure Injury

A pressure injury covered by eschar or slough such that the true depth of tissue loss cannot be determined until debridement occurs.

Deep Tissue Pressure Injury

An injury where fatty tissue is damaged below intact or open skin, appearing dark purple.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

A virus that damages and destroys $CD4^+$ T cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the host vulnerable to opportunistic infections and cancers.

Acute HIV Stage

The initial stage occurring $2\text{--}4$ weeks after infection, which may resemble the flu or mononucleosis.

Asymptomatic HIV Stage

A phase of HIV infection where the patient may experience no overt symptoms or mild systemic signs like fatigue, headache, low-grade fever, or night sweats.

Symptomatic HIV Stage

The phase where the $CD4$ count decreases to approximately $200\text{--}500\,\text{cells}/\mu\text{L}$, resulting in the onset of infections and clinical complications.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

The advanced stage of HIV infection defined by severe immune suppression with a $CD4$ count below $200\,\text{cells}/\mu\text{L}$.

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)

Treatment for HIV aimed at decreasing viral load, maintaining or increasing $CD4$ count, and delaying disease progression.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Infections acquired through exposure to microorganisms in healthcare settings, approximately one-third of which are preventable through appropriate precautions.

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)

An HAI tracking infections linked to urinary catheter insertion and maintenance, reflecting nursing adherence to sterile protocols and timely catheter removal.

Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)

An HAI tracking central venous catheter infections, reflecting the quality of line care, dressing changes, and maintenance hygiene.

Surgical Site Infection (SSI)

An HAI tracking post-operative infections to measure compliance with surgical prevention bundles.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP / VAE)

An HAI tracking respiratory infections in ventilated patients relative to oral care and positioning protocols.

Key HAI Preventive Nursing Intervention

Reviewing the daily necessity of every invasive device to ensure timely removal.

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Reference Ranges

Standard normal physiological ranges: pH $7.35\text{--}7.45$, $\text{PaCO}_2$ $35\text{--}45\,\text{mmHg}$, and $\text{HCO}_3$ $22\text{--}26\,\text{mEq/L}$.

Potassium ($K^+$) Function and Range

Normal range of $3.5\text{--}5.0\,\text{mEq/L}$; primary priority electrolyte responsible for pumping the heart.

Hyperkalemia

Potassium level over $5.0\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes peaked T waves, ST elevation, V Fib, cardiac arrest, bradycardia, hypotension, hyperactive DTR, paralysis/paresthesia, and diarrhea.

Hypokalemia

Potassium level below $3.0\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes flat T waves, ST depression, U waves, shallow respirations, decreased DTR, flaccid paralysis, constipation, and paralytic ileus.

Sodium ($Na^+$) Function and Range

Normal range of $135\text{--}145\,\text{mEq/L}$; functions to maintain blood pressure, blood volume, and pH balance by swelling the body with fluid.

Hypernatremia

Sodium level over $145\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes swollen/bloated body (edema), flushed red skin, increased muscle tone, swollen dry tongue, and nausea/vomiting (commonly caused by Diabetes Insipidus).

Hyponatremia

Sodium level below $135\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes cerebral edema, headache, mental status changes, seizures, coma, fatigue, muscle cramps, and respiratory arrest.

Chloride ($Cl^-$) Function and Range

Normal range of $97\text{--}107\,\text{mEq/L}$; closely mirrors sodium levels to maintain blood pressure, blood volume, and pH balance.

Hyperchloremia

Chloride level over $107\,\text{mEq/L}$; manifests similarly to hypernatremia with swollen dry tongue, nausea, vomiting, and metabolic alkalosis.

Hypochloremia

Chloride level below $97\,\text{mEq/L}$; manifests similarly to hyponatremia with fatigue and muscle cramps, with fever as the primary distinguishing manifestation.

Magnesium ($Mg^{2+}$) Function and Range

Normal range of $1.3\text{--}2.1\,\text{mEq/L}$; primary function is to mellow the muscles.

Hypermagnesemia

Magnesium level over $2.1\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes heart block, hypotension, bradycardia, hyporeflexia (decreased DTR), depressed respirations, and hypoactive bowel sounds.

Hypomagnesemia

Magnesium level below $1.3\,\text{mEq/L}$; causes neuromuscular excitation including Torsades de Pointes, V Fib, hyperreflexia (increased DTR), diarrhea, and hyperactive bowel sounds.

Calcium ($Ca^{2+}$) Function and Range

Normal range of $9.0\text{--}10.5\,\text{mg/dL}$; keeps the 3 Bs strong (Bone, Blood clotting, Beats) and maintains an inverse relationship with Phosphate.

Hypercalcemia

Calcium level over $10.5\,\text{mg/dL}$; causes renal calculi (kidney stones), constipation, bone pain, and severe muscle weakness/lethargy.

Hypocalcemia

Calcium level below $9.0\,\text{mg/dL}$; causes neuromuscular hyperexcitability including Trousseau's sign, Chvostek's sign, tetany, weak bones, impaired blood clotting, and cardiac dysrhythmias.

Phosphate Function and Range

Normal range of $3.0\text{--}4.5\,\text{mg/dL}$; holds an inverse relationship with Calcium.

Hyperphosphatemia

Phosphate level over $4.5\,\text{mg/dL}$; manifests with low calcium symptoms (Trousseau's sign, Chvostek's sign, tetany, weak bones, impaired clotting).

Hypophosphatemia

Phosphate level below $3.0\,\text{mg/dL}$; manifests with high calcium symptoms (kidney stones, constipation, bone pain, severe muscle weakness).

Trousseau's Sign

Carpal spasm or twerking of the hand/arm triggered by inflating a blood pressure cuff; a classic sign of hypocalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.

Chvostek's Sign

Facial muscle twitching or cheeky smile elicited by tapping the facial nerve over the cheek; a classic sign of hypocalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.