Health Assessment and Principles of Nursing Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key nursing vocabulary, historical figures, theoretical frameworks, levels of care, and delegation guidelines based on the lecture notes.

Florence Nightingale

Nursing pioneer who established the first nursing philosophy, served as the first practicing epidemiologist, developed the first nurse training program, and emphasized pure air, clean water, light, and nutrition.

Clara Barton

Founder of the American Red Cross who provided disaster relief and humanitarian aid to wounded soldiers.

Mary Ann Ball

Notable nursing figure who advocated for wounded soldiers, improved hospital cleanliness, and enhanced nutrition.

Dorothea Dix

Advocate for the humane treatment of mental illness who established mental illness hospitals and improved military nursing standards.

Harriet Tubman

Nursing figure who provided care to soldiers using herbs and natural treatments and organized nursing care and supplies.

Mary Mahoney

The first African American professionally trained nurse who advocated for racial equality in nursing and promoted diversity.

Mary Brewster

Nursing figure who organized nursing efforts during war with a focus on comfort and sanitation.

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)

Initiative focused on guiding safe, high-quality care through patient safety, teamwork, collaboration, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

Hildegard Peplau's Interpersonal Theory

Theoretical framework centered on the nurse-patient relationship, emphasizing that communication and trust are essential for healing.

Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory

Theory asserting that patients recover better when able to care for themselves and that nursing care is required when patients cannot meet their own self-care needs.

Madeleine Leininger's Culture Care Theory

Framework stating that nursing care should be culturally sensitive, individualized, and respectful of cultural beliefs and values.

Jean Watson's Human Caring Theory

Theory emphasizing that caring, compassion, empathy, and holistic care of mind, body, and spirit are central to nursing practice.

Kristen Swanson's Theory of Caring

Caring theory centered on maintaining belief, knowing, being with, doing for, and enabling, commonly applied in maternal and family-centered care.

Novice Stage (Benner's Model)

Stage where a beginner has no prior professional experience, lacks confidence, requires continual verbal and physical cues, and relies on general rules.

Advanced Beginner Stage (Benner's Model)

Stage where a nurse demonstrates marginally acceptable performance based on prior actual situational experience and requires occasional supportive cues.

Competent Stage (Benner's Model)

Stage demonstrated by a nurse on the job for 2-3 years who can analyze problems, engage in deliberate planning, and distinguish important from unimportant aspects.

Proficient Stage (Benner's Model)

Stage where a nurse perceives situations as wholes rather than aspects, understands long-term goals, and utilizes holistic understanding to improve decision-making.

Expert Stage (Benner's Model)

Stage where a nurse has an intuitive grasp of situations, zeroes in on the accurate region of a problem, and performs in a fluid and flexible manner.

Theoretical Knowledge

Knowledge designed to stimulate thinking and create a broad understanding of nursing science and practice.

Experiential Knowledge

Knowledge based on a nurse's actual experience in providing direct care to patients.

Primary Care

Level of health care delivered in doctor's offices, urgent care, or school clinics focusing on routine health maintenance, family planning, and chronic disease management.

Preventive Care

Level of health care focused on health education, immunizations, screenings, and wellness visits to prevent health problems before they happen.

Secondary Care

Level of health care focused on early detection and emergency/acute care, including outpatient surgery, outpatient imaging, and specialty testing.

Tertiary Care

Specialized, high-level care and advanced treatments provided in settings such as ICUs, burn units, trauma centers, and cancer treatment centers.

Restorative Care

Level of health care focused on recovery and rehabilitation, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Continuing Care

Ongoing health care for long-term or chronic conditions delivered in settings like home health, hospice, assisted living, and long-term care facilities.

Scope of Practice

The legal permissions, limitations, roles, and tasks that a licensed individual can perform as regulated by the State Board of Nursing.

Standards of Practice

Evidence-based expectations that define how high-quality, competent nursing care should be delivered across all settings.

Five Rights of Delegation

Delegation framework establishing right person, right task, right circumstance, right directions/communication, and right supervision/evaluation.

Functional Nursing

Care delivery model where specific tasks (such as medication administration or hygiene) are divided among assigned team members.

Team Nursing

Care delivery model where an RN leads a collaborative team—including LPN/LVNs and nursing assistants—to plan and provide patient care.

Primary Nursing

Care delivery model where a single nurse coordinates all aspects of a patient's care throughout their entire hospitalization.

Total Patient Care

Care delivery model in which one nurse performs all assessments, medications, treatments, documentation, and education for a patient during a single shift.

ABCDE Prioritization Framework

Clinical assessment model ordering priority interventions by Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability (neurological status), and Exposure.