chapter one/two terms NURS 104

Anglectomy

surgical removal of a vessel

Hepatitis

inflammation of the liver

myalgia

pain of muscle

osteotomy

incision into a bone

angiosclerosis

hardening of a blood vessel

cardiopulmonary

pertaining to the heart and lungs

dysentery

bad intestine condition, severe diarrhea

hepatosplenomegaly

enlargement of the liver and spleen

hyperplasia

overformation condition 

hypoglycemia

condition characterized by low sugar in blood 

osteocarcinoma

bone cancer tumor

osteomyelitis

inflammation of the bone marrow

pericardium

tissue around the heart

Acute

just started recently or is a sharp, severe symptom

chroic

has been going on for a while now

exacerbation

it is getting worse

abrupt

all of a sudden

febrile

to have a fever

afebrile

to not have a fever

malaise

not feeling well

progressive

more and more each day

symptom

something a patient feels

noncontributory

not related to this specific problem 

lethargic

decrease in level of consciousness; very sick

genetic/hereditary

runs in the family

alert

able to answer questions, responsive, interactive

oriented

being aware of who one is, where they are, and the current time (aware of all 3 is oriented x3)

marked

really stands out

unremarkable

normal

auscultation

to listen

percussion

to hit something and listen for sound or feel the vibration

palpation

to feel

impression

assessment

diagnosis

what the health care professional thinks the patient has

differential diagnosis

list of conditions the patient may have based on the symptoms exhibited and the exam results

Benign

safe

malignant

dangerous

degeneration

getting worse

remission

to get better or improve (does not mean cure) (often used in cancer)

idiopathic

no known or specific cause, just happens

localized

stays in one part of the body

systemic/generalized

all over the body (or most of it)

prognosis

changes of things getting better or worse

occult

Hidden

lesion

diseased tissue

reacurrent

to have again

sequela

problem resulting from a disease or injury

pending

waiting for

pathogen

organism that causes the problem

morbidity

risk for being sick

mortality

risk of dying

etiology

the cause

disposition

what happened to the patient at the end of visit (where they went; home, ICU, hospital bed)

discharge

unload (send home, or, the fluid coming out of part of the body)

palliative

treatments of symptoms (not getting rid of cause)

observation

watch, keep an eye on

reassurance

to tell the patient that the problem is not serious or dangerous

supportive care

to treat symptoms and make patient feel better

sterile

extremely clean, germ free

proximal

closer in to center

distal

farther from center

Lateral

Out to the side

Medial

Closer to the middle

Ventral

The front

Anterior

The front

Dorsal

The back

Posterior

The back

Cranial

Toward the top

Caudal

Toward the bottom

Superior

Above

Inferior

Below

prone

lying down on belly

supine

lying down on back

contralateral

opposite side

ipsilateral

same side

unilateral

one side

bilateral

Both sides

dorsum

top of hand or foot

plantar

sole of foot

palmar

palm of hand

sagittal

divides body left and right

coronal

divides body front and back

transverse

divides body top and bottom

physician

skilled health provider who attended and graduated medical school

pediatrician

physician with special training in caring for children

surgeon

physician qualified to treat patients surgically 

anesthesiologist

physician with special training in pain sedation and control

epidemiologist

specialist in study of causes and distribution of diseases in populations and use date to enhance public health

physician's assistant (PA)

midlevel health care provider who works under the license of supervising physician, requires post grad training

Nurse practitioner (NP)

nurse with postgrad training who serves as a midlevel healthcare provider, works under license of supervising physician 

emergency medical technician (EMT)

specially trained in emergency care of a patient before and/or during transplant to medical facility 

speech therapist

specially trained in evaluating and treating problems with speech and/or swallowing

occupational therapist

specially trained in evaluating and treating problems with performing daily activities (home, school, work)

physical therapist

specially trained in evaluating and treating physical impairments 

respiratory therapist

specially trained in evaluating and treating patients respiratory issues under guidance of health care provider

dietician

specially trained in evaluating the nutritional status of patient and developing appropriate diet plan

licensed practical nurse (LPN)

trained and certified to provide basic care

licensed vocational nurse (LVN)

trained and certified to provide basic care

registered nurse (RN)

advanced level nurse who completed an associates degree, assist in patient care planning and patient education

medical assistant

trained to carry out basic administrative and clinical tasks under the guidance of a healthcare provider