Key Concepts in Nursing and Health Care

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to nursing ethics, health care principles, dermatological conditions, and auditory health.

Social Determinants of Health

Conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health outcomes.

Beneficence

The ethical principle that involves acting positively on behalf of the well-being of others.

Autonomy

The individual’s right to make their own decisions; nurses must support patients' choices.

Justice

The ethical principle requiring fair and equal treatment regardless of race, religion, or gender.

Fidelity

The expectation that nurses will remain accountable for their commitments to patients and the profession.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle stating that nurses should not do harm to those under their care.

Veracity

The requirement for nurses to tell the truth and not mislead patients.

Confidentiality

The principle that information should not be shared beyond those who need to know.

Paternalism

The intention to protect individuals from their own choices in the name of beneficence.

Utilitarianism

An ethical framework aimed at maximizing positive outcomes while minimizing harm.

Advance Health-Care Directive

Legal documents outlining a person’s wishes regarding medical treatment in case they are unable to communicate.

Xerosis

A condition characterized by dry, rough, grayish skin often accompanied by tightness and pruritus.

Eczema

A skin condition causing inflammation with symptoms such as erythema, weeping, crusting, and severe itching.

Psoriasis

A chronic immune disorder that causes thick, flaky skin patches and may affect skin, hair, and nails.

Impetigo

A contagious, localized inflammatory skin infection characterized by vesicles and crusted sores.

Cranial Nerves

Nerves responsible for sensory and motor functions, including smell, vision, and facial expressions.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Hearing loss due to problems with the outer or middle ear, not caused by cranial nerves.

Macular Degeneration

An age-related disease that gradually destroys sharp, central vision, often associated with drusen bodies.

Tinnitus

A ringing or buzzing sound in the ears not caused by an external sound source.

Meniere's Disease

A disorder of the inner ear causing vertigo and hearing loss.

epidermis

outer layer, waterproof barrier that gives skin its tone, consists of keratinocytes (protein) and melanocytes (pigment)

dermis

contains connective tissue, sensory nerve fibers, capillaries, collagen and elastin. Part of skin that adds strength and elasticity to the skin and gives the ability to feel. Where hair follicles and sebaceous, sweat and apocrine glands originate.

subcutaneous layer

deepest layer that attaches dermis to bones and muscle. Provides protection and insulation, stores fat. Hair follicles roots in this layer  

dermatoporosis

declining skin function from age. Appearance of bruises. Nearly translucent revealing of underlying veins and tendons

herpes zoster (shingles)

blistering/vesicle and erythema (darkened skin), burning and pain. Management: lidocaine patches to affect area and antiviral medications

punch biopsy

most frequent technique, removes a circular continuous section that contains, epidermis, dermis and upper layers of subcutaneous tissue. Expected finding: oozing of clear or serous fluid. Teach patient to keep site clean and dry and notify provider with changes

impetigo

A strep: contagious, localized, inflammatory skin infection, vesicles, pustules, crusted sores on face or extremities without systemic s/s. Treatment: mupirocin ointment

folliculitis

superficial inflammation and infection of hair follicles. Treatment: moist heat, topical mupirocin ointment

cellulitis

  diffuse infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue occurs through breaks in the skin. Painful, edematous, warmth, fever. Treatment: systemic antibiotics

cutaneous abscess

collection of pus within dermis and subcutaneous tissues, painful, red nodules surrounded by ring. Treatment: incision and drainage and systemic antibiotics

boil

nfection of hair foccile that extends through dermis and subcutaneous tissue from a small abscess. Example kid has a small cut and goes and rolls in the grass now bacteria is spreading. Treatment: moist heat, incision and drainage and systemic antibiotics, mupirocin ointment

cellulitis

-   Redness, edema, found in folds of skin, common in lower extremities. bacterial infections, diffuse infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues and occurs through break in the skin.

tineas pedis

“athlete’s foot” fungal infection caused by moisture accumulation in unventilated shoes.

s/s: itching and burning of the skin with blisters, scaling, and cracking especially between toes

candidiasis

Fungal infection caused by yeast “Thrush”

s/s: itching, burning, dysuria

basal cancer

pearly, translucent, flesh colored papules, superficial broken blood vessels,

squamous cancer

crusted papules and plaques that can become indurated and ulcerated. Larger lesions can be painful and bleed. Can also arise from open wound, burn scars, or legs ulcers because of chronic inflammation

melanoma cancer

o   most serious one! Appearance can follow the ABCDE rule. Anywhere one the body especially where there is existing moles

CN II

responsible for vision, transmitting visual information (light and images) from the retina of the eye to the brain. Pupillary light reflex that constricts pupils to light

CN IV

controls the superior oblique muscle, which is important for downward eye movement, and laterally

CN VI

controls the lateral eye movement (away from the nose) and coordination

vitamin A

liver, fish, eggs and dairy, orange and yellow veggies (sweet potatoes, carrots), leafy greens (kale, spinach), fruits (mangos, papayas), red peppers and tomatoes

vitamin C

red and green bell peppers, citrus (oranges grapefruit), berries, tropical fruits (kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple), broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

vitamin e

oils (sunflower oil, olive, corn oil), nuts and seeds (sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts) veggies (spinach, red bell pepper), fruits (avocado, mango, kiwi) eggs, tuna, salmon, and whole grains

tonometer

-               used to measure the pressure inside of the eyeball, pressure is known as intraocular pressure. Normal range is 10-21 mm Hg. Elevation of pressure decreases blood flow to the eye structure and can result in visual effects.

glaucoma

build of aqueous humor fluid (builds pressure)

myopia

common vision condition where distant objects appear blurry (curved cornea)   treatment: corrective lenses like glasses or contacts, LASIK

hyperopia

farsightedness, distant objects are clear but close object are blurry (flat cornea)  treatment: convex corrective lenses in eyeglasses or contacts, LASIK

presbyopia

age-related hardening of eye lenses, difficult to focus on close objects  treatment: reading glasses or magnification, implanted intraocular lenses

astigmatism

eye cornea or lens have irregular football shaped instead of round that causes burry vision at all distances due to improper light on retina treatment: glasses, contacts, or orthokeratology, LASIK  

allergic conjunctivitis

s/s: itching, tearing, pink or red inflamed sclera/ conjunctiva  treatment: topical steroid and mast cell stabilizing, topical vasoconstrictor/ antihistamine drops to the eye to decrease itching, good hand-washing practice

bacterial conjunctivitis

tearing, lid crusting, purulent discharge, sclera is pink/inflamed, eye can be itchy  treatment: antibiotic ointment or drops, good hand washing

viral conjunctivitis

tearing, lid crusting, pink and inflamed, puffy eyes and itching  treatment: cold compresses to the eye for pain relief and decrease swelling, eye lubricants and ocular decongestant to help reduce swelling and inflammation and good hand washing

chlamydial conjunctivits

tearing, red/pink conjunctiva and sclera, sticky eye mucous discharge, photophobia  treatment: systemic antibiotics, good handwashing, medical treatment of the infected partner

trauma conjunctivits

(contacts, irritants, injury)  discontinue to wear contacts (solution allergies, age of lenses bacterial contamination), need corneal staining to determine extent or trauma, may require antibiotic drops/ointments and pressure patch, good handwashing

corneal abrasion

scratch or scrape on the eye cornea causing pain, tearing, redness and light sensitivity

obstruction hearing disorders

-               (foreign body, cerumen, external otitis)- pain and feeling as if ear is “plugged” or has something in it (CONDUCTIVE)

otitis media

fluctuating hear loss, pian, pressure feeling in the ear, fever (CONDUCTIVE)

ear trauma

pain, bloody discharge, visible blood on otoscopic examination (CONDUCTIVE)

tumuors

unilateral hearing loss, visible lesion on examination or scan (CONDUCTIVE)

external otitis

“swimmers’ ear” most often related to infectious organism that are contracted through swimming. Inflammation of the outer ear with extension into the ear canal. Acute: bacterial and chronic: fungal