Basic Nurse Aide Unit 4+5 Key Terms

Radiating pain

pain felt at the site of tissue damage and spreads to other areas

Phantom pain

pain that seems to come from a body part that is no longer there

Insomnia

chronic condition in which the person cannot sleep or stay asleep at night

Comfort

a state of well being; person has no physical or emotional pain

Chronic Pain (persistent)

pain that continues for long time (>12 weeks)

Acute Pain

pain that is sharp or severe

Tachycardia

fast heart rate (>100/min)

Systole

period of heart muscle contraction

Respiration

breathing air into and out of the lungs

Pulse deficit

difference between the apical and radial pulse rates

Pulse

beat of the heart felt at an artery as a wave of blood passes through the artery 

Hypotension

low blood pressure

Hypertension

high blood pressure

Diastole

period of heart muscle relaxation

Bradycardia

slow heart rate (< 60/min)

Body Temperature

the amount of heat in the body that is a balance between the amount of heat produced and the amount lost

Blood Pressure

the amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood

Output

the amount of fluid lost

Intake

the amount of fluid taken in 

Graduate

a measuring container used for fluid

Edema

the swelling of body tissues with water

Dehydration

a decrease in the amount of water in the body

Nutrition

the processes involved in the ingestion, digestion, absorbtion, and use of food and fluids by the body

Nutrient

substance that is ingested, absorbed, digested, and used by the body

Dysphagia

difficulty swallowing

Aspiration

breathing fluid, food, vomitus, or an object into the lungs

Axillary Temperature

underarm temperature reading (less reliable)

Temporal Temperature

measured at the temporal artery; forehead (non-invasive)

Tympanic Temperature

measured in the ear (less spread of infection)

Apical Pulse

taken over the tip of the heart (used with stethoscope)

Brachial Pulse

in the elbow (used for babies)

Carotid Pulse

taken at the carotid artery (used during CPR)

Radial Pulse

taken at the wrist most commonly used (non invasive, easy to find)