chapter 11 Daily operations and safety

crash cart

Emergency and equipment (e.g., oxygen, intravenous [IV] and airway supplies) stored in a cart and ready for an emergency.

de-escalating

Reducing the level or intensity; bringing down a person's anger or elevated emotions.

depreciate

To diminish in value (e.g., the value of an item) over a period of time; a concept used for tax purposes.

diluent

A liquid substance that dilutes or lessens the strength of a solution or mixture; it is added to vials of powdered medications to create a solution of the drug for injection.

discrepancy

A lack of similarity between what is stated and what is found; for instance, the computer inventory count is different from the physical count.

accounts payable

Money owed by a company to other companies for services and goods; pertains to paying the facility's bills.

answering service

A commercial service that answers telephone calls for its clients.

back-ordered

An order placed for an item that is temporarily out of stock and will be sent later.

billable service

Assistance (i.e., service) that is provided by a healthcare provider and can be billed to the insurance company or patient.

buying cycle

Refers to how often an item is purchased and depends on how frequently the item is used and the storage space available for it.

disinfect

The process of cleaning in order to destroy or prevent the growth of disease-causing microorganisms.

fire doors

Doors made of fire-resistant materials; close manually or automatically during a fire to prevent it from spreading.

initiative

The ability to determine what needs to be done and take action on your own.

inventory

A detailed list of equipment and supplies owned and stored; the process of counting the supplies in stock.

invoices

Billing statements that list the amount owed for goods or services purchased.

packing slip

A document that accompanies purchased merchandise and shows what is in the box or package.

progress notes

Documentation in the medical record that can be used to track the patient's condition and progress.

purchase order (PO) number

A unique number assigned by the ordering facility that allows the facility to track or reference the order.

quality control

A process to ensure the reliability of test results, often using manufactured samples with known values.

restock

The process of replacing the supplies that were used.

sanitize

The process of cleaning equipment and instruments with detergent and water in order to remove debris and reduce the number of microorganisms.

sterilize

The process of removing all microorganisms.

vendors

Companies that sell supplies, equipment, or services to other companies or individuals.

workplace emergencies

Unforeseen situations that threaten the employees and visitors; can disrupt services provided.