Mosby's Essentials for Nursing Assistants Chapter 1

Acute illness

A sudden illness from which the person is expected to recover

Chronic illness

An ongoing illness that is slow or gradual is onset, no known cure, illness can be controlled with medication

Terminal illness

An illness or injury from which the person will not likely to recover.

The person

Hospitals and long term care enters provide health care services. _____ ____________ is the focus of the care.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

A nurse who has completed a 1-year nursing program & has passed a licensing test. Also call licence vocational nurse

Physician

Diagnoses and treats diseases and injuries

Dietitian

Assesses and plans for nutritional needs

Podiatrist

Prevents, diagnoses, and treats foot disorders

Physical therapist

Assists persons with musculo-skeletal problems; focuses on restoring function and preventing disability

Cleric

Assists with spiritual needs

Social worker

Deals with social, emotional, and environmental issues affecting illness and recovery

Audiologist

Tests hearing; prescribes hearing aids; works with persons who are hard of hearing

Residents

Persons who live in long term care centers are called

Alert, oriented persons

They know who they are, where they are.

They have physical problem.

Disability level affects the care required.

Confused and disoriented persons

Cannot remember dates, don't know where they are, some cannot dress or feed themselves

Person needing complete care

They are very disabled, confused, or disoriented.

They can't meet any of their own need.

Some can't say what they need or want.

Short term residents

People recovering from surgery, illness, injury, can be younger

Person needing respite care

Respite: rest or relief.

Gives the caregivers at home a break.

Life-long resident

Birth defects and childhood injury & diseases can cause disabilities.

Developmental disabilities

Disabilities occurring before 22 years of age

Resident who are mentally ill

Behavior & function are affected.

Self-care & independent living are impaired.

Terminally ill person

Some are alert & oriented.

If in a coma, they can't respond to what people say to them.

Board and care home (group home)

Provides a room, meals, laundry, and supervision

Assisted living residence (ALR)

Provides housing, personal care, support services, health care, and social activities in a home-like setting to persons needing help with daily activities

Nursing center

A long-term care center that provides health care services to persons who need regular or continuous care

Subacute care

Complex medical care when a hospital is no longer needed

Skilled nursing facility (SNF)

A long-term care center that provides complex care for severe health problems

Hospice

An agency or program for persons who are dying.

A program that keeps people who are a terminal illness.

Ex: cancer

Alzheimer's Care unit

Designed for a person with Alzheimer's disease & other dementias.

Board of trustees

Also called the board of directors.

A hospital has a governing body called the

Health (care) team

The many health care workers whose skills and knowledge focus on the person's total care

Director of nursing (DON)

Responsible for the entire nursing staff & the care given.

Nursing education staff

Plan & present educational program. This includes the program that met federal & state educational requirement.

Provide new & changing information

Nursing team

Those who provide nursing care; RNs, LPNs/LVNs, and nursing assistants

Registered Nurse (RN)

A nurse who has completed a 2, 3, or 4 year nursing program and has passed licensing test

Nursing assistant

Performs delegated nursing tasks under the supervision of a licensed nurse

Primary nursing

Total care, gives nursing care and makes discharge plans, teaches and counsels the person and family

Program help pay for health care

- Private insurance: bought by individual & family.

- Group insurance: bought by group or organization.

- Medicare: A federal health insurance program for persons 65 years of age or older.

- Medicaid: health care