Applied Nursing Skills: Key Concepts for Student Success

Hereditary conditions

Genetic codes from one or both parents.

Cystic fibrosis

A lung disease that is diagnosed soon after birth.

Huntington chorea

A neurologic disorder that is not manifested until adulthood.

Hereditary illnesses

Illnesses passed down from parents, often confused with congenital illnesses.

Congenital illnesses

Illnesses related to embryonic development.

Remission

Resembling a cured state; the relief may be only temporary, and the duration of remission is unpredictable.

Disease exacerbation

Reactivation of a disorder, or one that reverts from a chronic to an acute state.

Acute illness

Suddenly and lasts a short time (Example: Flu).

Chronic illness

Comes slowly and lasts a long time; risk increases as people age (Example: Arthritis, COPD).

Health (WHO definition)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Morbidity

Specific disease, disorder, or injury; refers to the rate or numbers of people affected.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Stages include Physiologic Needs, Safety and Security, Love and Belonging, Self-Esteem, and Self-Actualization.

Physiologic Needs

Clothing, Food, Water, Shelter, Sleep.

Safety and Security

Health, Employment, Property, Family and Social Ability.

Love and Belonging

Friendship, Family, Intimacy, Sense of connection.

Self-Esteem

Confidence, Achievement, Respect of others, Need to be unique individual.

Self-Actualization

Morality, Creativity, Spontaneity, Acceptance, Experience Purpose, Meaning and inner potential.

Alarm Stage

Initial phase where the body becomes aware of a threat or stressor.

Resistance Stage

2nd stage where the body enters into adapt and cope (homeostasis).

Exhaustion Stage

Final stage (burnout) where the body can no longer continue the effort to fight the stressor.

Therapeutic coping strategies

Strategies that help the person acquire insight, gain confidence in confronting reality, and develop emotional maturity.

Nontherapeutic coping strategies

Coping strategies that may provide immediate temporary relief but cause problems when used long-term.

Homeostasis

Stable state of physiologic equilibrium (staying the same).

Holism

State of physical, emotional, social and spiritual health; how whole or well a person feels.

Sympathetic nervous system response

A person becomes active, aroused, and emotionally charged; heart rate increases.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale

Death of spouse is at the highest risk for concern.

Nurse's role as an advocate

A nurse is to avoid giving advice, reserving the right of each person to make his or her own choices on matters affecting health and illness care.

Brown discoloration on washcloth

Yes, due to the normal shedding of dead skin cells which retain their pigmentation.

Keloids

Irregular, elevated, thick scars.

Race

A term used to categorize people with genetically shared physical characteristics.

Kosher diet

Separation of meat and dairy, only certain permitted animals like cows and fish with fins, no pork or shellfish; followed by Orthodox Judaism and some non-Orthodox Jews.

Generalization vs stereotyping

Stereotyping prevents seeing and treating another person as unique, while generalizing suggests possible commonalities that may or may not be individually valid.

Culturally sensitive care

Care that respects and is compatible with each client's culture.

Mongolian spot

Hyperpigmentation- dark blue spots, looks like a bruise.

Developing nurse-client relationship

Respond to the client's needs.

Empathy

Intuitive awareness of what a client is experiencing; perceives the client's emotional state and need for support.

Factors affecting oral communication

No eye contact, not paying attention.

Patient participation in care

Yes, it is important to get them involved in their care.

Therapeutic communication vs social communication

Therapeutic uses words and gestures to accomplish a particular objective; social communication involves superficial common courtesies and exchanges about general topics.

Teach back method

Ways to verify a patient's understanding of education or instructions provided before discharge.

LVN/LPN responsibility

Ensure the task is within the UAP/CNA's scope of practice and the individual has the knowledge and skills to perform the task safely.

Communicating with verbally impaired clients

Get their attention, use clear simple language with short sentences, give time to respond back, writing, picture boards, tablet, and ASL if possible.

Discharge planning and teaching

Should begin at the time of admission to the hospital.

Cognitive domain

Style of processing info by listening or reading facts (THINKING).

Affective domain

Appeals to persons beliefs, feelings, and values (FEELING).

Techniques for teaching clients

Can be used for clients whose attention and concentration are short-lived.

Patient-centered care

An approach that focuses on the patient's needs and preferences during education.

Short-term memory

A brain's scratchpad that retains a limited amount of information for a short period.

Long-term memory

Involves the process of encoding and storing information for a longer duration.

Motivation to learn

The desire for learning that may stem from intellectual curiosity, independence, or avoiding criticism.

Formal teaching

Teaching that requires a plan and is structured.

Informal teaching

Unplanned teaching that occurs spontaneously at the bedside.

Teaching timeline for short hospital stays

Focus on immediate needs with urgency, using concise methods to motivate the client.

Teaching timeline for long hospital stays

A progressive process focusing on comprehensive self-management and practical skills integration.

Gerogogy

A technique that enhances learning among older adults.

Narrative charting

A document style used in source-oriented records, writing about a client in chronological order.

Charting by exception

A documenting method where nurses chart only abnormal assessment findings or deviations from standards.

SOAP charting

A documentation style used in problem-oriented records consisting of Subjective, Objective, Analysis, and Plan.

Military time

A time format used in healthcare that is based on a 24-hour clock.

Standard medical abbreviations

Commonly used abbreviations in medical orders, such as DNR, TID, ACHS, NPO.

Error correction in documentation

Draw a single line, initial and date the correction, note the reason for the error, and chart the correct information.

Medications

Chemical substances that change body function, emphasizing safe preparation and administration.

Primary purpose of the MAR

To ensure vital assessments are done before administering medications, reducing the chance of serious consequences.

Sustained release

A type of medication formulation that releases the drug over an extended period.

Extended release

A formulation designed to release medication slowly over time.

Continuous release

A medication formulation that provides a constant release of the drug into the bloodstream.