Nursing Exam 1: Infection Control, Vital Signs, Mobility, Hygiene, and Nutrition

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts of infection control, vital signs, mobility, hygiene, and nutrition based on the Exam 1 study guide.

Infectious Agent

A pathogen capable of causing disease, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa, characterized by its virulence factors.

Virulence

The ability of an organism to produce toxins, its number, and its ability to enter and survive in a host.

Transient Flora

Microorganisms picked up during patient care that are easily removed by proper hand hygiene.

Resident Flora

Normal inhabitants of the skin or mucosa that can cause infection if introduced into sterile areas or if the host is immunocompromised.

Reservoir

A place where an organism survives, multiplies, and awaits transfer to a host; common examples include humans, animals, food, and fomites.

Fomites

Inanimate objects that serve as reservoirs for pathogens, such as bed rails, stethoscopes, and IV pumps.

Portal of Exit

The route by which a pathogen leaves a reservoir, such as the respiratory, gastrointestinal, or genitourinary tracts.

Mode of Transmission

The path by which a pathogen travels from a reservoir to a new host; the primary target for nursing interventions to break the chain of infection.

Direct Contact

Person-to-person physical contact between a source and a susceptible host.

Indirect Contact

Transfer of an infectious agent through a contaminated intermediate object or surface.

Droplet Transmission

Transmission via large particles greater than $5\,\mu m$ that travel less than $6\,\text{feet}$.

Airborne Transmission

Transmission via tiny droplet nuclei smaller than $5\,\mu m$ that remain suspended in air and travel greater than $6\,\text{feet}$.

Susceptible Host

An individual whose immune defenses are insufficient to resist an infectious organism, often due to age, malnutrition, or chronic disease.

Inflammation

A protective vascular and cellular response to injury or infection that neutralizes pathogens and prepares tissue for repair.

Leukocytosis

An elevated white blood cell count, often rising to $15,000$ to $20,000/mm^3$ or higher during an active infection.

Normal WBC Count

A laboratory measurement typically ranging between $5,000$ and $10,000/mm^3$.

Serous Exudate

Clear, watery, plasma-like drainage expected in mild or early inflammation.

Sanguineous Exudate

Bloody drainage containing red blood cells, expected in fresh traumatic or surgical wounds.

Serosanguineous Exudate

A light pink mixture of serous and blood-based drainage, considered a normal finding in post-operative wounds.

Purulent Exudate

Thick, foul-smelling yellow, green, or brown drainage containing WBCs and bacteria, indicating an active infection.

Superinfection

An overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, such as oral thrush or C. difficile, that occurs when broad-spectrum antibiotics eliminate normal flora.

Medical Asepsis

Also known as clean technique; practices intended to reduce the number of pathogens and prevent their transfer.

Surgical Asepsis

Also known as sterile technique; practices that maintain an area completely free of all pathogens including spores.

Standard Precautions

Tier 1 infection control components applied to all patients at all times, including hand hygiene and the use of gloves for body fluid contact.

Pyrexia

A fever characterized by an adult body temperature greater than $38^\circ C$ ($100.4^\circ F$).

Hypothermia

A condition where the core body temperature drops below $35^\circ C$ ($95^\circ F$).

Tachycardia

An elevated heart rate in adults exceeding $100\,\text{beats/min}$.

Bradycardia

A slow heart rate in adults measuring less than $60\,\text{beats/min}$.

Eupnea

A normal respiratory rate and depth, typically between $12$ and $20\,\text{breaths/min}$ for an adult.

Pulse Pressure

The difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with a normal range of $30\text{--}50\,mmHg$.

Orthostatic Hypotension

A drop in systolic BP $\ge 20\,mmHg$ or diastolic BP $\ge 10\,mmHg$ within $3\,\text{minutes}$ of changing from a supine to an upright position.

Negative Nitrogen Balance

A metabolic state resulting from immobility where protein breakdown exceeds intake, leading to muscle wasting.

Atelectasis

The collapse of alveoli that prevents the normal exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, often caused by immobility.

Virchow's Triad

The three factors that contribute to venous thrombus formation: vessel wall damage, altered blood flow (stasis), and hypercoagulability.

Joint Contracture

An abnormal and possibly permanent condition of a joint, characterized by flexion and fixation, often resulting from disuse.

Foot Drop

A common contracture where the foot is permanently fixed in plantar flexion, making it difficult for the patient to ambulate.

Braden Scale

A standardized assessment tool for predicting pressure injury risk; a score of $\le 18$ indicates a patient is at risk.

Shear

The force exerted parallel to skin resulting from gravity pushing the body down and resistance between the patient and the surface.

Friction

The force of two surfaces moving across one another, such as skin rubbing against bed linens.

Sitz Bath

A therapeutic bath of warm water that covers the perineal and anal area, used to reduce pain and inflammation after surgery or childbirth.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of the oral mucosa, frequently seen in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Albumin

A laboratory marker with a half-life of $21\,\text{days}$ used to assess long-term nutritional status.

Prealbumin

A laboratory marker with a half-life of $2\,\text{days}$ used to assess acute or short-term changes in nutritional status.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A measure of body fat based on height and weight; a range of $18.5\text{--}24.9\,kg/m^2$ is considered normal.

TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)

Intravenous nutritional support containing high concentrations of glucose and nutrients, requiring administration via a central venous catheter.

Dysphagia

Difficulty swallowing, which poses a significant risk for aspiration pneumonia and nutritional deficiencies.