Nursing test 1

Therapeutic Range

The dosage range or blood plasma/serum levels expected to achieve the desired therapeutic effect, falling between toxic and effective levels.

Plateau/Therapeutic Concentration

The steady concentration of a drug in the blood necessary to maintain its therapeutic effect.

Onset

The time it takes for a medication to start having an effect in the body.

Peak

The highest concentration of a drug in the blood.

Trough

The lowest concentration of a drug in the blood.

Toxicity

The degree of being poisonous or harmful.

Loading Dose

A higher initial dose of a drug to quickly reach the therapeutic range.

Half-life

The time required for the body to eliminate half of the concentration of a drug.

Absorption

The process by which drugs are absorbed into the body.

Excretion/Elimination

The process of removing drugs from the body, which can occur through various routes like urine, feces, breath, sweat, or breast milk.

Distribution

The transportation of a drug from its site of absorption to its site of action.

Metabolism

The process by which drugs are altered by enzymes, often occurring in the liver.

Drug Interactions

The effects when one or more drugs are administered together, including compatibility, synergistic effects, and additive effects.

Contraindicated

Medications that should not be used due to potential harm.

Tolerance

Decreased physiological response to a drug with repeated administration.

Adherence

The degree to which a person's behavior aligns with healthcare provider recommendations.

GI

Refers to the gastrointestinal system. Involves asking questions about diet, fecal output, identifying early signs and symptoms, palpation, auscultation, and assessing diet.

Metabolic

Relates to the body's metabolism. Involves assessing diet, blood tests, checking weight, intake/output records, and monitoring hydration intake.

MSK

Stands for musculoskeletal. Involves implementing exercises, positioning patients properly, mobilizing ambulant patients, and applying braces or splints.

CVS

Refers to the cardiovascular system. Involves fall prevention, education, the use of TED or pneumatic stockings, leg and ankle exercises, anticoagulation therapy, and turning and positioning every 2 hours.

Respiratory

Relates to the respiratory system. Includes turning and positioning every 2 hours, deep breathing and coughing every hour, using incentive spirometry, and managing pain to promote respiratory exercises.

Urinary

Involves offering bedpan frequently, increasing hydration, pouring warm water over the perineum, catheterization of the bladder, and monitoring diet.

Laxatives

Includes different classifications and prototypes such as mineral oil, psyllium hydrophilic, docusate sodium, bisacodyl, and others used for promoting bowel movements.

Nursing Process

Follows the steps of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation in providing patient care based on the Orem Nursing Model.

Nursing Care Plan

A planning tool that varies in form and implementation across clinical settings to outline the care needed for a patient.

Therapeutic Nursing Plan

A mandatory progress note in a client's file that consolidates nurses' decisions regarding the client's follow-up care.

Osteoporosis

A chronic, progressive metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue.

Peak Bone Mass

Determined by a combination of factors including heredity, nutrition, exercise, and hormone function.

Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis

Imbalance between bone resorption and formation processes leading to structural weakness, commonly affecting the spine, hips, and wrists.

Risk Factors for Osteoporosis

Include advanced age, ethnicity, family history, gender, medical conditions, medications, smoking, low body weight, excessive alcohol intake, and sedentary lifestyle.

Clinical Manifestations of Osteoporosis

Include back pain, fractures, loss of height, spinal deformities, and complications like acute or chronic pain, disability, and loss of autonomy.

Prevention of Osteoporosis

Involves adequate nutrition, exercise, no smoking, no alcohol abuse, reduction of fall risks, and sometimes the use of hip protectors.

Treatment of Osteoporosis

Includes antiresorptive therapy, bone-forming therapy, and assessment of patient history, symptoms, posture, mobility, and respiratory function.

Neurocognitive Disorders

Refers to a range of symptoms associated with cognitive impairment, including dementia and major cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's.

Dementia

An umbrella term for cognitive symptoms associated with conditions like Alzheimer's, characterized by memory loss, communication difficulties, and behavioral changes.

Pharmacological Therapy for Dementia

Includes cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists to manage cognitive decline.

Nursing Assessment for Dementia

Involves gathering subjective and objective data, identifying potential nursing problems, and addressing safety, behavioral changes, and caregiver support.

Delirium

Characterized by abrupt onset and fluctuating presentation, often caused by reversible factors like polypharmacy, inflammation, or dehydration.

Fractures

Disruption or break in bone continuity, classified based on various factors like open/closed, complete/incomplete, and displaced/not displaced, with clinical manifestations including edema and loss of function.

Muscle Spasm

Involuntary contraction of a muscle leading to pain, tenderness, and possible deformity.

Radiography

The use of imaging techniques such as X-ray, bone scan, CT scan, or MRI to diagnose conditions like fractures.

Closed Reduction

A nonsurgical method involving manual realignment or traction to restore the position of a bone.

Traction

The application of a pulling force to a body part while countertraction pulls in the opposite direction, used for bone alignment.

Skin Traction

Application of tape, boots, or splints directly to the skin to maintain alignment and reduce muscle spasms.

Skeletal Traction

Method of aligning bones and joints by inserting pins or wires into the bone and attaching weights.

Open Reduction

Surgical correction of bone alignment using wires, screws, pins, plates, rods, or nails.

Immobilization

Maintaining anatomical realignment using external devices, internal devices, or casts.

External Fixation

Method of bone alignment using pins or wires attached through percutaneous access.

Internal Fixation

Bone alignment using plates, rods, or screws.

Complication of Fractures

Issues such as bone infection, malunion, nonunion, damage to blood vessels and nerves, deep vein thrombosis, and compartment syndrome.

Fat Embolism

A condition where fat globules from a fracture site enter the bloodstream and can cause organ damage.