medical assistant final

Nonmaleficence

An ethical principle meaning 'do not harm.'

Beneficence

An ethical principle meaning 'do good.'

Autonomy

The right of the patient to determine their own interests.

SOAP

An acronym for a method of documentation: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.

CHEDDER

An acronym for a patient charting method: Chief complaint, History, Examination, Details, Drugs, Assessment, Returning visits.

Auscultation

Listening to the internal sounds of the body, typically with a stethoscope.

Percussion

Tapping on the body to evaluate underlying structures.

Palpation

Using touch to examine the body.

Isolation

Precautions taken to prevent the spread of infection.

SOMR

Source-oriented medical record - documentation keeps everything in chronological order.

POMR

Problem-oriented medical record - documentation is organized by patient problems.

Orthostatic blood pressure

Blood pressure measured when a patient changes positions to assess for blood pressure changes.

BMI

Body Mass Index - a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells that deliver oxygen from the lungs to the body.

Leukocytes

White blood cells that are part of the immune system, with several subtypes.

Platelets

Cells in the blood that help with clotting.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment.

Vascular endothelium

The inner layer of blood vessels.

Systolic pressure

The pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart.

Diastolic pressure

The pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.

Depolarization

The process of releasing separated electrical charges in the heart, requiring no energy.

Repolarization

The process of separating electrical charges in the heart, requiring energy.

Glove use

Gloves must be replaced between each patient and disposed of properly.

Half-life

The time it takes for half of a drug to be eliminated from the body.

Loading dose

A larger initial dose of medication to quickly achieve therapeutic levels.

Types of fractures

Includes open, closed, stable, transverse, oblique, comminuted, and spiral fractures.

Types of wounds

Includes laceration, incision, puncture, penetrating, GSW, contusion, hematoma, and crush injury.

Fowler position

A sitting or semi-sitting position at angles of 45-90 degrees.

Transduction

The process by which sensory cells convert stimuli into electrical signals.

Informed consent

Permission granted by a patient after being informed of the risks and benefits.

Z-codes

Disease classification codes used in medical billing.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria resistant to many antibiotics.

CILA

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, regulating laboratory testing.

Hematology

The branch of medicine concerned with the study of blood.

Anatomy

The study of body structures visible to the naked eye.

Physiology

The study of the functions of bodily systems.

Telemedicine

The remote diagnosis and treatment of patients through telecommunications technology.

ABCD rule

A guideline used to determine whether a mole or growth may be cancerous.

Snellen chart

A chart used to measure visual acuity.