Introduction to Healthcare Delivery and Nursing Assistant Roles

Vocabulary flashcards covering healthcare facility types, regulatory organizations, and professional documentation standards.

Subacute care

Healthcare for patients who no longer need the hospital but are not ready to go home yet, often requiring skilled rehab or IV therapy.

Skilled nursing facility

A place where patients receive long-term care or subacute services, including rehab or specialized treatments; examples include Wisteria, The Woodlands, and Edgewood.

Home health

Care provided directly in a patient's house, often including services like physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Hospice care

Care aimed at providing comfort for patients during their last $6$ months of life rather than focusing on a cure.

Charting

The legal documentation of care provided to a patient, following the principle that "if you didn't chart it, you didn't do it."

Falsifying documentation

The act of charting a procedure or task that was not actually performed.

Chain of command

The organizational structure in healthcare where individuals follow a hierarchy, starting with their immediate supervisor and working their way up.

The Joint Commission

An organization that inspects hospitals and has the authority to potentially close a facility's doors if standards are not met.

State agencies

Organizations that monitor and grade nursing homes using a star system ranging from $1$ to $5$ stars.

OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which protects employees and patients by ensuring safety through training and equipment like sharps containers.

Sharps containers

Mandatory safety containers used to prevent OSHA violations and protect staff and patients from needle sticks and infection.

Holistic approach

Treating the "whole" person by addressing their socioeconomic, spiritual, and financial needs in addition to their disease or physical condition.

Medicaid

Insurance designed to assist people during times of financial need, though some patients may fall into a "limbo" where they earn too much to qualify but not enough for private insurance.

Medicare

A form of insurance mentioned in the context of federal oversight and healthcare funding.

Acute pain

Sudden, short-term pain, such as the discomfort felt immediately after a workout.

Social worker

A healthcare professional who serves as a resource for patients needing help with financial burdens, spiritual needs, or transportation.