CSCC NURC 1001 Exam 2 terms

lateral position

the person lies on one side or the other

Semi-Fowler's Position

the head of the bed is raised 30 degrees; or the head of the bed is raised 30 degrees and the knee portion is raised 15 degrees

Fowler's position

a semi-sitting position; the head of the bed is raised between 45 and 60 degrees

prone position

lying on abdomen, facing downward

Tornado Watch

This is an alert issued when weather conditions are right for a tornado.

i. Close windows and move objects and beds away from window area if possible

ii. Close drapes

tornado warning

A warning issued when a tornado has actually been sighted in an area or is indicated by radar.

i. Move the residents to a safe area. This will be the area determined by the facility’s administration to be structurally strongest

ii. Protect the resident from flying, broken glass by turning bedfast resident on side away from windows, cover with a blanket

hemiparesis

slight paralysis or weakness affecting one side of the body

affected side

a weakened side from a stroke or injury; also called the "weaker" or "involved" side.

MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheet

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

ODH

Ohio Department of Health

MSD

Musculo-skeletal disorder: injury and disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and cartilage.

Elopement

When a patient or resident leaves the agency without staff knowledge

body mechanics

the proper use of the body to facilitate lifting and moving and prevent injury

Purpose of good body mechanics: is to make the best use of strength, and avoid of fatigue and injury.

Ergonomics

Definition: adapting the environment using techniques and equipment to prevent injury and provide more efficient care. Fitting jobs and job demands to the capabilities/limitations of the population to reduce frequency of injuries/illnesses and associated costs

Transfer

How a person to and from a surface; moving the person to another health care setting; moving the person to a new room within the agency

Gait/transfer belt

A device used to assist with standing, walking or transferring. It is applied around the waist and used to support a person who is unsteady.

confusion

A state of being disorientated to person, time. place, situation or identity.

Urinary incontinence (UI)

the involuntary loss or leakage of urine

fecal incontinence

the inability to control the passage of feces and gas (flatus) through the anus.

Entrapment

a resident's body part becomes lodged between the bed frame and/or mattress and the bed rail.

Oriented

being aware of who he or she is, where he or she is, and the current time; a patient who is aware of all three is "oriented x 3"

Mobility

the ability to move or be moved freely and easily.

Dementia

a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities, including memory, thinking, and judgment, that is often accompanied by personality changes

Alarms

Use of alarms

i. Facility-wide alarms

(1) Fire alarm

(2) Tornado sirens

ii. Personal protective alarms

iii. When an alarm is heard, investigate where and why (if knowledgeable) and act

Impaired Mobility

a loss of function or ability to move or be moved freely and easily

airway obstruction

occurs when food or a foreign object blocks the airway and prevents air from entering or leaving the lungs

Restraint

a physical or chemical way to restrict voluntary movement or behavior

Hemiplegia

paralysis of one side of the body

Paralysis

temporary or permanent loss of motor control

Stroke

Damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply.

An ischemic stroke occurs when the blockage of a blood vessel stops blood supply to the brain, which prevents the brain from receiving the oxygen and nutrients it needs.

A hemorrhagic stroke is caused when bleeding from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain causes pressure buildup, harming or killing brain tissue.

Axilla

the space below the shoulder through which vessels and nerves enter and leave the upper arm; a person's armpit.

Kinks

Feeding tubes: Avoid pulling tubes, kinking, pinching in side rail, pinching under resident and twisting in linen. Tubing should be coiled on bed near resident after positioning and turning is complete

ii. Keep the catheter and tubing free of kinks

iii. Keep the resident from lying on the tubing

Logrolling

turning the person as a unit, in alignment, with one motion

keep spinal motion restriction (you don't know if they have a neck or spine injury)

You need two to three people to keep the spine straight and aligned.

In lumbar area >80% of disk ruptures affect L-5 or S-1

Alignment

Correct body alignment a. The head is erect, not flexed forward or extended backwards b. The spinal column is in normal alignment c. The extremities are positioned according to the position of the resident d. The feet are in the "walking" position, not slanted forward e. The wrists are neither flexed nor extended. Fingers are slightly flexed. Hips are straight in line with the thighs

Assistive Device

equipment used to help resident increase independence

Supine

lying flat on back.

Stabilize

make or become unlikely to give way or overturn.

Quadriplegic

paralysis of all four limbs

Mechanical Lift

a hydraulic or electric device used to transfer dependent or obese residents between surfaces. The lift may also have a scale to weigh the resident.

Ergonomics

The science of designing a job to fit the worker; ergo means work, nomos means law.

dangle

Assisting residents to sit on the side of the bed. Page 281-283 has lots of info on this

Importance of correct body alignment

a. Promote comfort and prevent pain

b. Strain is not unduly placed upon the joints, muscles and body tissue

c. Helps in preventing contractures

d. Prevents skin breakdown e. Promotes sense of well-being

contracture

a condition of shortening and hardening of muscles, tendons, or other tissue, often leading to deformity and rigidity of joints.

Fall Risk Factors

• Age 

• Mobility

• Elimination (bathroom)

• Mental Status

• Medications

Core Safety Concepts

• residents may have impaired awareness, mobility, or senses

• medications can introduce fall or toxicity risks

• ID Bands/photo verification ensures correct resident care

Fall Prevention

• Footwear: non-skid soles and tied laces; avoid loose gowns or throw rugs

• Environmental controls: wipe spills immediately; keep traffic areas clear; use handrails

• Equipment safety: non-skid tips on walkers/chairs; lock wheels on beds and wheelchairs

• Assistive devices: shower chairs, raised toilet seats, grab bars

• Anticipate resident needs (toileting, pain relief, hunger, fatigue) and respond promptly to call lights

Burn Precautions

• Test bath and beverage temperatures before assisting residents

• Supervise smoking and enforce designated areas

• Handle heating equipment carefully; avoid oils or powders that create slippery surfaces

Choking Precautions

• Follow prescribed diets; cut foods into small, manageable pieces

• Position residents upright; alternate solid foods with liquids

• Be trained in abdominal thrusts and stop feeding at first sign of trouble

Hazardous Substances and Chemical Safety

• Store cleaning agents and chemicals in locked areas; remove packaging from trays of confused residents

• Know the Hazard Communication Standard:

  • Labels with pictograms for health, flame, corrosion, gas cylinder, exploding bomb, oxidizer, environment, skull and crossbones, exclamation mark

  • Accessible Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and facility-specific Hazcom plan

Fire Prevention

enforce no-smoking rules; manage oxygen use; inspect cords and outlets

RACE

Rescue residents

Activate Alarm

Confine Fire

Extinguish or Evacuate

PASS

Pull Pin

Aim at Base

Squeeze Handle

Sweep Side to Side

Tornado Protocols

Secure windows/objects

move residents away from glass

follow facility shelter policies

Power Failure

Locate backup generator outlets (red)

ensure emergency lighting and life-support equipment remain operational

Elopement Protocol

Maintain constant awareness of resident locations 

follow missing-resident procedures

report immediately

Why are falls so dangerous for older adult?

physiologically weaker

• lower bone density

• loss of muscle mass

• thinner skin/blood vessels

immediate health consequences

• HIP FRACTURES

• traumatic brain injuries

• joint dislocations/ligament tears

Alarm Types

• bed alarms

• elopement codes

• tornado sirens

• strobe lights

• fire alarms

• chair alarms

• nurse-call systems

Side Rail is a restraint when…

they are used to limit a resident’s free movement or access, rather than simply to assist with repositioning or support.

Friction v Shearing

Friction is the superficial rubbing of one surface against another (for example, skin sliding across bed linens), whereas shearing is a deeper tissue distortion that occurs when the skin remains stationary but underlying bones and muscles shift (for example, when the head of the bed is elevated and the pelvis slides down). Both forces break down skin integrity and set the stage for pressure ulcers.