Nurse Aide I

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)

Term used in health care to describe everyday things that a resident routinely does, such as hygiene and grooming, dressing, eating, toileting, and transferring.

Aerobic

requires oxygen

Aferbile

Without a fever

Airborne precautions

Transmission-based precautions are used for clients with diagnosed or suspected pathogens spread by very small airborne particles from nasal and oral secretions that can float long distances through the air, such as measles and tuberculosis.

AM Care

Personal activities done in the morning that include toileting, face/hand wash, and mouth care before/after breakfast

Anaerobic

Does not require oxygen

Analog Watch

a watch that has moving hands and typically marked from numbers 1 through 12

Aneroid Manometer

That part of the sphygmomanometer (BP cuff) that includes the dial that indicates the systolic and diastolic pressures during blood pressure checks

Apical Pulse

a pulse point located over the heart

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart

Aseptic

Clean from germs

Axillary Temperature - Baseline

97.6 F

Axillary Temperature - Normal

96.6 - 98.6 F

Basic Nursing Skills

Essential skills required of nurse aides to deliver competent care to residents in health care settings.

Blood pressure

The amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood

Blood-borne pathogens

harmful germs found in human blood and can cause infection and disease

Body Fluids

blood, pus, liquid from sores, urine, stool, tears, spit, droplets from sneezes and coughs, and sputum

Body Temperature

how much heat is in the body and balances the heat created by the body and heat lost to the environment

Brachial Pulse

pulse points located in the crooks of the elbows typically used during blood pressure checks

Carotid Pulse

pulse points located in both sides of the neck

Carriers

people who have harmful germs living on or in their body, but are not visibly sick

Catheter Bag

collection device for urine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

An agency of the federal government that is in charge of the control and prevention of disease, in our country

Centigrade

metric scale used to measure temperature, expressed in degrees

chain of infection

A way to explain how infection is passed around from one host to another host by using a picture of a chain

Cognition

How messages from five senses are collected, stored in memory, recovered from memory, and later used to answer questions, respond to requests, and perform tasks; the ability to think logically and clearly.

Commode Hat

a plastic collection container placed under a commode lid, used when resident has bathroom privileges and is on output and/or has a urine or stool specimen ordered

Contact Precautions

a transmission based precaution that prevents spread of harmful germs by direct contact, using Standard Precautions, plus gown and gloves

Cubic Centimeter

a unit of measure in the metric system used to count the volume of anything (including fluids); is equal to 1 milliliter

Delegation

The process of assigning part of one's responsibility to another qualified person in a specific situation; transferring responsibility for the performance of an activity or task while retaining accountability for the outcome.

Diaphragm

The part of the stethoscope located on the chest piece is used to detect the presence or absence of brachial artery blood flow during a blood pressure check.

Diarrhea

frequent passage of loose, watery stools

Diastole

relaxation phase of the heartbeat

Direct Contact

mutual touching of two things, people, or organisms which may cause the spread of harmful germs

droplet

Particles of liquids that are sprayed from the nose or mouth when a person sneezes or talks

Droplet precautions

a transmission based precaution that prevents spread of harmful germs that travel by droplets in the air, using Standard Precautions, plus mask and gloves

emesis basin

kidney-shaped vessel for the collection of vomitus

Eupnea

normal breathing

exhale

when carbon dioxide is expelled out of nose and the mouth from the lungs

Expiration

breathing out

Fahrenheit

scale used to measure temperature, expressed in degrees

Febrile

With a fever

Fever

elevated body temperature

Fluid Balance

fluid intake roughly equals fluid output

Food intake

comparison of the amount of food eaten by a resident at mealtime with the amount of food provided

Gastric Suction Material

stomach contents that are suctioned out using a nasogastric tube

Gloves

personal protective equipment used to protect skin on hands from harmful germs

Goggles

personal protective equipment used to protect eyes from harmful germs

Gowns

personal protective equipment used to protect skin and clothes from harmful germs

Graduated Specimen Container

an accurate measuring device for fluids used in a health care setting

Grooming

Tasks done to maintain the person's appearance, such as caring for fingernails and hair.

Hand Hygiene

washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs

Health Care Personnel Registry

listing of unlicensed health care personnel who are being investigated for or have a substantiated finding of neglect or abuse, misappropriation of property of the resident or facility, diversion of drugs belonging to a resident or facility, or fraud against a resident or health care facility.

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI)

an infection that develops in a person cared for in any setting where health care is given; the infection is related to receiving health care

Heart

the pump of the cardiovascular system

Height Rod

the device used on a standing scale that measures a resident's height (or tallness)

Hepatitis B

A disease of the liver caused by a virus

Hepatitis C

A disease of the liver caused by a virus

Host

An animal or a person

Hygiene

Tasks done to keep bodies clean and healthy, such as bathing and brushing teeth.

Indirect Contact

harmful germs spread by an object that has touched body fluids from an infected person

Infection

A disease or condition of the body that occurs when harmful germs get into the body and grow in number.

Infection Prevention

all of the things that people do to control and prevent the spread of infection

Infectious Agent

A harmful germ

Inhale

when air (or oxygen) is pulled in through the nose and down into the lungs

inspiration

inhalation

Intake

the amount of fluid taken in

Intake and Output (I&O)

used to evaluate fluid balance whereby intake and output are measured and documented

Interpersonal skills

In a health care setting, generally refers to a health care provider's ability to get along with others, while getting the job done.

kilogram

SI unit for mass

Lungs

Main organs of the respiratory system

mililiter (ml)

Unit of measure in the metric system used to count fluids, is equal to 1 cubic centimeter

milimeters of mercury

mm Hg

Normal Pulse Rate for Adults

60-100 beats per minute

North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON)

A regulatory body that issues the list of tasks to include in a Nurse Aide I training program that falls within the range of function for nurse aides in North Carolina.

North Carolina Board of Nursing Administrative Code

Defines range of function for Nurse Aides in North Carolina.

North Carolina Health Care Personnel Education and Credentialing Section

A section of the State of North Carolina that provides services for the unlicensed health care workers, their employees, and their instructors, and maintains the NC Nurse Aide I registry.

North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry

a registry of all people who meet state and federal training and testing requirements to perform Nurse Aide I tasks in the State of North Carolina.

Nurse Aide I in the State of North Carolina

a valued, unlicensed member of the health care team, responsible for providing delegated nursing tasks, within a defined range of function, for residents (patients/clients), in a variety of settings, and who is listed on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry.

Objective

information collected by the nurse aide's senses

OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) of 1987

Federal Law, enacted by Congress, in 1987, to improve quality of life of residents living in a nursing home environment; comprehensive review/update of regulations, effective November 28, 2016.

Oral Temperature - Baseline

98.6 F

Oral Temperature - Normal

97.6-99.6 F

orthostatic hypotension

abnormal low blood pressure occurring when the resident suddenly stands up; resident complains of weakness, faintness, dizziness, and seeing spots

Output

the amount of fluid lost from the body

Pain

Pain is whatever the resident says it is, and the response to pain varies from resident to resident

Pedal Pulse

The pulse rate obtained on the top of the foot

Personal Care Skills

Tasks dealing with a person's body, appearance, and hygiene.

PM Care

personal activities done in the evening that include toileting, face/hand wash, snack, mouth care, and backrub

Pulse

Beat of the heart as felt through the walls of the arteries.

Pulse force

the strength of the pulse and should be easy to feel

Pulse rate

the number of pulse beats per minute

Pulse rhythm

the regularity of the heart beats (pulses) and should be the same interval between beats

Radial Pulses

Pulse points located in the wrists

Rectal Temperature - Normal

98.6 - 100.6 F

Rectal Temperature Baseline

99.6 F

Respiration

The process that supplies oxygen to the cells

Respiratory rate

the number of breaths taken in one minute

sphygmomanometer

also known as the BP cuff; is the equipment used to check a person's blood pressure

Stethoscope

instrument used for listening to internal body sounds