Chapter 15, 17-19 Patient Care terms

Apnea

Cessation of spontaneous ventilation.

Atelectasis

Absence of gas from part or all of the lungs due to failure of expansion or reabsorption of gas from the alveoli.

Auscultation

Listening to sounds of the body, typically with a stethoscope.

Body Temperature

Measurement of the degree of heat of the body's deep tissues.

Bradycardia

Heart rate less than 60 beats per minute.

Bradypnea

Abnormally slow breathing.

Diaphoresis

Profuse sweating.

Diastolic

Pertaining to the relaxation phase of the heart, especially the ventricles.

Dyspnea

Difficult or labored breathing.

Febrile

Pertaining to or characterized by fever.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of a stable internal environment through adaptive responses.

Hypertension

Persistently high arterial blood pressure.

Hyperthermia

Abnormally high body temperature.

Hypotension

Abnormally low blood pressure.

Hypothermia

Low body temperature.

Hypoxemia

Decreased oxygen concentration in the blood.

Hypoxia

Reduced oxygen supply to body tissues.

Intubation

Insertion of a tube into a canal, hollow organ, or body cavity.

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing except when sitting or standing upright.

Pleural Effusion

Excess fluid within the pleural cavity.

Pneumothorax

Presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity.

Pulse Oximeter

Device used to measure oxygen saturation in the blood.

Respiration

Process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.

Sphygmomanometer

Instrument used to measure blood pressure.

Systolic

Pertaining to the contraction phase of the heart, especially the ventricles.

Tachycardia

Heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute.

Tachypnea

Rapid breathing.

Tidal Volume

Volume of air inhaled and exhaled in one respiratory cycle.

Ventilation

Mechanical movement of air into and out of the lungs.

Asepsis

Freedom from infection.

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms.

Blood-borne Pathogens

Disease-causing microorganisms present in human blood.

Chemotherapy

Treatment of disease using chemical agents.

Cyst

Protected stage in the life cycle of certain parasites.

Dimorphic

Occurring in two distinct forms.

Diseases

Abnormal conditions affecting body structure or function with characteristic signs and symptoms.

Disinfectants

Chemicals used to eliminate disease-causing microorganisms from inanimate objects.

Eukaryotes

Organisms whose cells contain a true nucleus.

Flora

Normal microorganisms found on or in a healthy person.

Fomite

An inanimate object capable of transmitting infectious microorganisms.

Fungi

Organisms such as molds, yeasts, and mushrooms.

Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI)

Infection acquired while receiving healthcare.

Host

Animal or plant that harbors another organism.

Iatrogenic

Resulting from medical treatment or physician activities.

Immunity

Protection against a disease.

Infection

Invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues.

Medical Asepsis

Practices that reduce the number of infectious agents.

Microorganisms

Microscopic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

Nosocomial

Hospital-acquired infection.

Pathogens

Disease-causing microorganisms.

Prokaryotes

Organisms lacking a true nucleus.

Protozoa

Single-celled organisms, some free-living and some parasitic.

Reservoir

Host or carrier where pathogens live and multiply.

Standard Precautions

Measures used to prevent transmission of disease through body fluids and substances.

Sterilization

Complete destruction or elimination of all microorganisms.

Surgical Asepsis

Sterile technique used to prevent contamination during surgery.

Vaccine

Preparation of weakened or killed microorganisms used to prevent disease.

Vector

Organism that transmits infectious agents from one host to another.

Virion

Complete infectious viral particle.

Viruses

Infectious agents that replicate only inside living host cells.

Angiography

Radiographic visualization of blood vessels using contrast material.

Arrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythm.

Arthrography

X-ray examination of a joint after injection of contrast material.

Aseptic

Free of microorganisms.

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

Noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

C-arm

Fluoroscopic X-ray imaging device.

Central Venous Pressure (CVP)

Pressure in the thoracic vena cava reflecting blood returning to the heart.

Contaminated

Presence of blood or potentially infectious material on an item or surface.

Foley Catheter

Indwelling urinary catheter held in the bladder by an inflated balloon.

Isolette

Incubator for premature infants.

Lithotomy Position

Patient lies on back with hips and knees flexed and thighs abducted.

Manual Resuscitator

Hand-held device used to provide positive-pressure ventilation.

Myelography

Contrast X-ray examination of the spinal canal.

Purulent

Containing pus.

Serous

Thin, watery, pale-yellow body fluid.

Sterile

Free of living microorganisms.

Subungual

Beneath a fingernail or toenail.

Swan-Ganz Catheter

Pulmonary artery catheter used to measure heart pressures and cardiac output.

Tracheostomy

Surgical opening into the trachea to maintain an airway.

Trendelenburg Position

Patient positioned with the head lower than the feet.

Urinary Meatus

External opening of the urethra.

Voiding Cystourethrogram

Contrast imaging study of the bladder and urethra during urination.

Barium

White contrast medium used for imaging the digestive tract.

Bedpan

Container used by bedridden patients for urine or stool.

Colitis

Inflammation of the colon.

Colonoscopy

Endoscopic examination of the colon.

Colostomy

Surgical opening connecting the colon to the abdominal surface.

Defecation

Elimination of feces.

Emesis Basin

Kidney-shaped container for vomit.

Enema

Fluid introduced into the rectum.

Enterostomal Therapist

Healthcare professional specializing in ostomy care.

Flatus

Gas passed through the anus.

Fowler Position

Patient position with the head elevated.

Hydration

State of containing adequate water.

Loopogram

Radiographic examination of a bowel segment used as a urinary diversion.

Low-Residue Diet

Diet designed to produce minimal fecal residue.

Lumen

Interior space of a tubular organ.

Nasogastric (NG) Tube

Tube inserted through the nose into the stomach for feeding or drainage.

Ostomate

Person living with an ostomy.

Perineum

Area between the thighs surrounding the external genitalia and anus.