PN 101: Environmental Safety, Injury Prevention, and Emergency Preparedness

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering client injury risk assessment, lifespan safety considerations, home emergency planning, environmental toxins, ergonomics and body mechanics, and mass-casualty triage categories.

Safety Assessment (Nursing Role)

The foundational evaluation process consisting of completing a nursing history, physical examination, and home-hazard appraisal.

Age & Development (Injury Risk Domain)

A safety assessment domain that evaluates a client's expected abilities, judgment, and supervision needs.

Mobility & Balance (Injury Risk Domain)

A safety assessment domain that examines gait, strength, transfers, and history of prior falls.

Sensory & Cognition (Injury Risk Domain)

A safety assessment domain covering vision, hearing, alertness, memory, and decision-making.

Knowledge & Communication (Injury Risk Domain)

A safety assessment domain focusing on a client's understanding of hazards and their ability to ask for help.

Health & Medications (Injury Risk Domain)

A safety assessment domain evaluating acute illness, chronic disease, drug adverse effects, and polypharmacy.

Choking & Aspiration Prevention (Infants & Toddlers)

Measures that include keeping small objects out of reach, preparing age-appropriate foods in safe sizes, and feeding infants in an appropriate position.

Suffocation & Sleep Safety (Infants & Toddlers)

Safety measures that include adhering to safe-sleep guidance, keeping plastic bags and balloons away, and teaching caregivers age-appropriate choking response and CPR.

Water Safety (Infants & Toddlers)

Injury prevention measures requiring that a child never be left unattended in a bath, blocking access to pools and standing water, and teaching water safety early.

Poisoning Prevention (Infants & Toddlers)

Environmental safety practices consisting of locking away medications, cleaners, chemicals, and toxic substances, as well as checking the home for lead hazards.

Fall Prevention (Infants & Toddlers)

Safety measures including securing changing areas, supervising highchairs, swings, and strollers, using restraints as directed, and observing product limits.

Firearms & Play Safety (Preschool & School-Age)

Practices including keeping firearms unloaded, locked, and inaccessible, storing ammunition separately, and choosing safe, age-appropriate play areas and equipment.

Road & Sports Safety (Preschool & School-Age)

Safety protocols involving the continued use of an appropriate car seat or booster until transition criteria are met, wearing seat belts, and utilizing sport-specific protective equipment.

Motor Vehicle Safety (Adolescents & Adults)

Preventive practices that include completing driver education, setting rules for seat belts and passengers, refusing to ride with impaired drivers, and arranging safe rides.

Home Modification for Fall Prevention (Older Adults)

Environmental changes aimed at reducing falls by removing loose rugs and clutter, improving lighting, and keeping frequently used items within reach.

Proactive Fall Planning (Older Adults)

The nursing strategy of individualizing client interventions and conducting reassessments following a fall, an illness, or a medication change.

Disaster Supplies

Essential emergency kit provisions including water, food, clothing, communication devices, essential medications, and important documents.

Stop, Drop, and Roll

The immediate emergency protocol to perform if clothing catches fire, followed by evacuating the building and calling emergency services from a safe location.

Home Oxygen Safety Precautions

Safety measures that include prohibiting smoking or open flames near oxygen, keeping equipment away from heat and flammable materials, and using compatible, well-maintained electrical equipment.

Carbon Monoxide

A colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that reduces oxygen delivery in the body.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms

Clinical warning signs that may include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and confusion.

Secondhand Smoke

Passive tobacco exposure that elevates cardiovascular and respiratory risks in general, and is specifically associated with asthma exacerbations, bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections in children.

Food Poisoning Prevention

Hygiene and cooking practices that include washing hands and produce, cooking meat, eggs, and fish to safe internal temperatures, separating raw from cooked foods, refrigerating perishables promptly, and avoiding unpasteurized dairy and unsafe water.

Ergonomic Preparation

The initial step of client handling in which the nurse assesses the client's balance, strength, mobility, and ability to assist, plans the transfer, and requests help.

Body Mechanics: Positioning

Principles of alignment that require maintaining a stable base, keeping neutral alignment, holding the load close to the body, and avoiding twisting of the spine.

Body Mechanics: Safe Movement

Movement principles advising smooth motions, pivoting with the feet, and preferring sliding, rolling, or pushing over manual lifting whenever appropriate.

RED — Immediate

A mass-casualty triage color classification for individuals with life-threatening conditions who require immediate intervention and have a reasonable chance of survival.

YELLOW — Delayed

A mass-casualty triage color classification for individuals with serious injuries whose medical treatment can be delayed briefly without immediate threat to life.

GREEN — Minimal

A mass-casualty triage color classification for individuals with minor injuries whose treatment can generally wait while higher-priority casualties are managed.

BLACK — Expectant / Deceased

A mass-casualty triage color classification used for deceased individuals or those unlikely to survive given the available resources, for whom comfort care is provided as indicated.