ATI Nursing Fundamentals: Nutrition, Mobility, Pain Management, CAM, Bowel, and Urinary Elimination

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering nutrition, mobility and immobility, pain assessment and pharmacology, complementary and alternative medicine, bowel elimination, and urinary elimination based on ATI Nursing Fundamentals modules.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by significantly low body weight for gender, age, developmental level, and physical health, accompanied by fear of being fat, self-perception of being fat, and consistent restriction of food intake or repeated behavior that prevents weight gain.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by a cycle of binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, diuretics, laxatives, exercise, or fasting), a lack of control during binges, and an average of at least one cycle per week for at least $3$ months.

Binge-Eating Disorder

An eating disorder characterized by repeated episodes of binge eating with a loss of control followed by guilt, shame, or depression, occurring without compensatory behaviors (purging) from $1$ to more than $14$ times per week; clients are often overweight or obese.

Body Mass Index (BMI) Formula

The clinical calculation defined as $\text{BMI} = \text{weight (kg)} \times \text{height (m)}^{-2}$; a resulting value greater than $30$ identifies obesity.

Aspiration Precautions

Safety interventions for clients with dysphagia that include tucking the chin when swallowing to allow food to pass down the esophagus, avoiding thin liquids and straws, and having the client sit upright for $1\,\text{hr}$ after meals to prevent gastroesophageal reflux.

Low-Residue Diet

A diet composed of foods that are low in fiber and easy to digest, such as dairy products and eggs (custard, yogurt), while excluding whole grains (barley, oats), gas-producing raw vegetables, and legumes.

Sequential Compression Devices (SCDs)

Inflatable sleeves applied to the legs that cycle between inflation ($10\text{ to }15\,\text{seconds}$) and deflation ($45\text{ to }60\,\text{seconds}$) to promote venous return and prevent deep-vein thrombosis; sized by measuring around the largest part of the thigh and removed every $8\,\text{hr}$ for assessment.

Cane Ambulation Technique

A mobility technique requiring two points of support on the ground at all times; the cane is held on the stronger side of the body, moved forward $15\text{ to }25\,\text{cm}$ ($6\text{ to }10\,\text{in}$), followed by moving the weaker leg forward toward the cane, and finally advancing the stronger leg past the cane.

Tripod Position

The basic crutch stance providing a wide base of support, where crutches are placed $15\,\text{cm}$ ($6\,\text{in}$) in front of and $15\,\text{cm}$ ($6\,\text{in}$) to the side of each foot, with elbows flexed at $20^\circ\text{ to }30^\circ$.

Four-Point Crutch Gait

A crutch gait requiring weight-bearing on both legs, where the client alternates each leg with the opposite crutch so that three points of support remain on the floor at all times.

Three-Point Crutch Gait

A crutch gait requiring the client to bear all body weight on one foot and both crutches; the affected leg bears no weight and does not touch the ground.

Two-Point Crutch Gait

A crutch gait requiring partial weight bearing on both feet, where the client moves a crutch simultaneously with the opposite leg to mirror normal arm and leg walking mechanics.

Walker Ambulation Guidelines

Instructions requiring the walker height to align with the inside of the wrist while standing straight with elbows flexed $15^\circ\text{ to }30^\circ$; the client moves the walker forward $15\text{ to }20\,\text{cm}$ ($6\text{ to }8\,\text{in}$), sets all four feet down, and steps forward while supporting body weight.

Chair Repositioning Protocol

A mobility protocol limiting sitting in a chair to $1\,\text{hr}$ at a time, requiring independent or assisted weight shifts every $15\,\text{minutes}$ to prevent skin breakdown over bony prominences.

Atelectasis and Hypostatic Pneumonia

Respiratory complications of immobility caused by decreased respiratory movement, weakened respiratory muscles, and stasis of secretions in the respiratory tract.

Heat Therapy

A cutaneous intervention that increases blood flow and tissue metabolism, relaxes muscles, and eases joint stiffness; contraindicated over metal implants, during the first $24\,\text{hr}$ after trauma, in active bleeding, and on the abdomen during pregnancy.

Cold Therapy

A cutaneous intervention applied for $15\text{ to }30\,\text{minutes}$ that decreases inflammation, prevents swelling, reduces fever, relieves muscle spasms, and reduces pain by lowering nerve conduction velocity; contraindicated in vascular insufficiency and Raynaud's phenomenon.

Acute Pain

Protective, temporary, self-limiting pain with a direct cause that resolves with tissue healing; triggers sympathetic fight-or-flight responses ($\text{tachycardia, hypertension, anxiety, diaphoresis, muscle tension}$).

Chronic Pain

Non-protective, ongoing, or recurring pain lasting longer than $6\,\text{months}$ that persists beyond tissue healing; does not usually alter vital signs but can lead to depression, fatigue, and decreased functioning.

Idiopathic Pain

A form of chronic pain that occurs in the absence of an identifiable cause or exceeds the typical pain level expected for the client's condition.

Nociceptive Pain

Pain arising from tissue damage or inflammation that activates peripheral nociceptors; typically described as throbbing, aching, and localized, responding to opioid and non-opioid medications.

Somatic Pain

A subtype of nociceptive pain that originates in bones, joints, muscles, skin, or connective tissues.

Visceral Pain

A subtype of nociceptive pain that originates in internal organs (such as the stomach or intestines) and can cause referred pain at distant sites.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain originating from damaged or abnormal nerve pathways (such as diabetic neuropathy, phantom limb pain, or spinal cord injuries), typically described as intense, shooting, burning, or 'pins and needles,' and responsive to adjuvant analgesics.

Pain Transduction

The initial conversion of painful noxious stimuli into an electrical impulse via peripheral nerve fibers (nociceptors).

Pain Modulation

A physiologic response occurring in the spinal cord that causes muscles to contract reflexively, moving the body away from painful stimuli.

Allodynia

A condition in which a client experiences pain in response to experiences that are not typically painful, such as the brush of clothing or wind blowing against the skin.

Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)

An interactive medication delivery system that allows clients to self-administer safe doses of opioids using a preset lockout interval to avoid inadvertent overdose; the client is the only person permitted to push the button.

Naloxone Protocol

The slow administration of diluted naloxone to reverse opioid-induced sedation and respiratory depression when the client's respiratory rate drops below $8\,\text{min}^{-1}$ and is shallow or when the client is difficult to arouse.

Adjuvant Analgesics

Coanalgesics (such as anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and glucocorticoids) that enhance the effects of non-opioids, alleviate other symptoms that aggravate pain, and manage neuropathic pain.

Alternative Therapies

Non-allopathic healthcare approaches that become the primary treatment modality and entirely replace conventional allopathic medical care.

Complementary Therapies

Healthcare approaches used in addition to or to enhance conventional Western allopathic medical care.

Whole Medical Systems

Complete systems of medical theory and clinical practice developed outside of conventional allopathic medicine, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and homeopathy.

Biofeedback

A mind-body therapy utilizing electronic technology to increase the client's awareness of various neurologic body responses to minimize physiologic extremes and achieve voluntary control.

Ginkgo Biloba

An herbal botanical therapy used primarily to improve memory.

Valerian

An herbal botanical supplement used to promote sleep and reduce anxiety.

Garlic (Herbal)

An herbal botanical supplement that acts to inhibit platelet aggregation.

Ginger (Herbal)

An herbal botanical therapy used as an antiemetic to reduce nausea.

Fecal Occult Blood Test (Guaiac Test)

A screening procedure that tests stool for microscopic blood; a blue color indicates a positive result, and accuracy requires three serial samples from three different defecations while avoiding red meat for $3\,\text{days}$ prior.

Paralytic Ileus

An intestinal obstruction characterized by decreased or absent motility resulting from direct surgical manipulation of the bowel, electrolyte imbalances, wound infection, or medication effects.

Cleansing Enema Administration

The instillation of an enema solution with the bag hung $30\text{ to }45\,\text{cm}$ ($12\text{ to }18\,\text{in}$) above the rectum, inserting the tube $7.5\text{ to }10\,\text{cm}$ ($3\text{ to }4\,\text{in}$) in adults, and lowering the bag if abdominal cramping occurs.

Digital Removal of Stool

Manual disimpaction using a gloved, lubricated finger to remove stool in small pieces; must be stopped immediately if significant bradycardia or dysrhythmias occur due to stimulation of the vagus nerve.

Stoma Care

Maintenance of a bowel diversion requiring that the stoma appear moist, shiny, and pink, with skin barrier openings cut $0.15\text{ to }0.3\,\text{cm}$ ($\frac{1}{16}\text{ to }\frac{1}{8}\,\text{in}$) larger than the stoma to prevent peristomal skin breakdown.

Loop Colostomy

A temporary surgical bowel diversion constructed in the transverse colon to manage emergencies, consisting of a proximal stoma draining stool and a distal stoma draining mucus.

Double-Barrel Colostomy

A bowel diversion consisting of two distinct abdominal stomas: a proximal stoma that drains stool and a distal stoma leading to inactive intestine, often reversed after tissue healing.

Minimum Hourly Urine Output

The clinical safety baseline of urine excretion, where an output of less than $30\,\text{mL/hr}$ for more than $2\,\text{hr}$ indicates urinary retention, hypovolemia, or impaired kidney function and requires provider notification.

Kock Pouch

A continent ileal urinary conduit wherein an internal reservoir is created from the ileum and emptied via clean straight catheterization every $2\text{ to }3\,\text{hr}$ initially, and every $5\text{ to }6\,\text{hr}$ once expanded.

Stress Incontinence

The involuntary loss of small amounts of urine due to increased intra-abdominal pressure (laughing, coughing, sneezing, lifting) without bladder detrusor contraction, often caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles.

Urge Incontinence

The inability to hold urine long enough to reach the bathroom due to overactive detrusor muscle contractions causing increased bladder pressure.

Overflow Incontinence

The frequent involuntary loss of small amounts of urine caused by chronic urinary retention, bladder overdistention, or urinary outlet obstruction (such as an enlarged prostate).

Reflex Incontinence

The involuntary loss of a moderate amount of urine occurring without warning due to detrusor hyperreflexia secondary to central nervous system damage or spinal cord dysfunction.

Functional Incontinence

The loss of urine caused by factors external to the urinary system that prevent prompt access to a toilet, including cognitive impairment, immobility, or environmental barriers.

Transient Incontinence

A temporary and reversible episode of urinary incontinence resulting from acute conditions such as urinary tract infections, acute delirium, hyperglycemia, or medication side effects.

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)

A healthcare-associated infection developing while an indwelling catheter is in place or within $48\,\text{hr}$ of removal, minimized by maintaining a sterile closed drainage system and keeping the bag below bladder level.

Phenazopyridine

A bladder mucosal analgesic that relieves pain, burning, and urgency associated with urinary tract infections, which characteristically turns urine bright orange or red and is contraindicated in hepatic or renal disease.

Urinary Antispasmodics

Anticholinergic medications such as oxybutynin and dicyclomine prescribed to relieve spasms and urgency from an overactive bladder; contraindicated in clients with a history of glaucoma because they increase intraocular pressure.