BH CNA Program Vocabulary List #5

Fecal Impaction

a mass of dry, hard stool that remains packed in the rectum and cannot be expelled.

Feces

solid waste; stool

Feeding

the act of giving food to the resident.

Financial Abuse

the improper or illegal use of a person's money, possessions, property, or other assets.

Fire

combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke; Practice RACE: Rescue, Announce, Contain, Extinguish.

Fire Safety

precautions taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire, alert those in a structure to the presence of an uncontrolled fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive in and evacuate from affected areas, or to reduce the damage caused by a fire.

First Aid

help given to a sick or injured person until full medical treatment is available.

Flatus

intestinal gas.

Flexed

a limb or joint is bent.

Flexion

the act of bending a limb or joint.

Foley Catheter

indwelling catheter inserted through the urethra and into the bladder allowing urine to be drained into a bag.

Foot Care

care of the feet, including cleaning and completely drying the foot and inspection for areas of redness, breakdown, bruising, etc. to be reported to the charge nurse.

Fowler's

lying on the back with the head of the bed raised 45 to 60 degrees.

Fractures

break in a bone or other hard tissue.

Fraud

a deliberate deception intended to secure an unfair or unlawful gain.

Frayed Cord

a damaged electrical cord which poses a risk for electric shock.

Free From Disease

not having any sign or symptoms of any illness.

Frequent Urination

urination that occurs more often than usual; polyuria.

Gait Belt

a belt made of canvas or other heavy material used to help people who are weak, unsteady, or uncoordinated to stand, sit, or walk; also called a transfer belt.

Gastric Feedings

feeding provided through a tube directly into the stomach.

Gastrostomy Tube

a surgically placed feeding tube from the exterior of the body into the stomach; G-Tube

Geriatrics

branch of medicine dealing with older individuals and their medical problems.

Germ Transmission

spreading germs from one person or area to another.

Gerontology

scientific field focused on the study of aging.

Gestures

a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.

Gifts

a voluntary present of money or some other valuable asset.

Glass Thermometer

a hollow glass tube with calibrations on it containing a column of liquid that rises and falls with temperature change. The temperature is read where the top of the liquid column coincides with the calibrated scale.

Gloves

personal protective equipment (PPE) used to protect the hands from contamination.

Grand Mal Seizure

a type of generalized epileptic seizure in which nerve cells fire in high-frequency bursts resulting in unconsciousness, violent muscle contractions, and loss of bodily function control.

Grieving Process

emotional and life adjustment one goes through after a loss; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

Group Settings

gatherings of small number of residents for the purpose of defined activities.

Hair Care

the act of washing, drying, and brushing the hair.

Hallucination

false sensory experiences such as visual images, sounds, smells, etc. that appear to be real.

Hand Tremors

the involuntary trembling or shaking of the hands.

Hand Washing

the act of cleansing the hands; the best way to prevent infections.

Hazardous Substance

chemicals which are capable of causing harm.

Health Care Team

group of people with different types of knowledge and skill levels who work together to provide care to the resident.

Hearing

the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations in your ear.

Hearing Aid

an electronic device used by persons with impaired hearing to amplify sound.

Hearing Impaired

unable to hear adequately; loss of some or all ability to hear sounds.

Hearing Loss

unable to hear adequately; loss of some or all ability to hear sounds.

Heart Muscle

myocardium; cardiac muscle.

Heat Application

applying heat to a prescribed area to dilate (widen) the blood vessels to reduce pain, promote circulation, and relieve muscle spasms.

Height (Ht)

the measurement of a patient from head to foot.

Hemiplegia

paralysis of one side of the body.

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; a federal law protecting the privacy of patient health care information.

HIV

human immunodeficiency virus; virus that attacks the body's immune system.

Hormones

substances produced by glands that regulate the activities of different body cells/organs/systems.

Hospice

program that provides palliative care for the terminally ill and support services for the patient and the family.

Hospice Care

care for terminally ill patients that aims to provide comfort and alleviate pain.