Health Science Flash Cards Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Field of Health Science E-Flash Cards

accreditation

official recognition from a professional association that an education program meets the minimum educational standards for an occupation

alternative, complementary, integrative therapies

healthcare practices and treatments that minimize or avoid the use of surgery and drugs

aneurysms

conditions characterized by weakened blood vessels, which can then burst.

antioxidant

a substance that promotes good health by reducing cell deterioration and may contribute to disease prevention

career cluster

groups of similar occupations and industries that share a core set of basic knowledge and skills for all workers

career ladder

a sequence of job positions progressing from entry-level to higher levels of responsibility and authority based on education, experience, and performance

career pathways

smaller groups of specialized occupations within a career cluster that require more specific sets of knowledge, skills, and training

catheters

tube-shaped medical devices that can be inserted into blood vessels or body cavities for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

chronic

Long-standing, constant. Opposite of acute and potentially lifelong

colonoscopy

a visual screening test that examines the inner surface of the colon

coronary

anything relating to the arteries that supply blood to the heart

credentials

documents proving a person's qualifications for a particular occupation

gene therapy

insertion of a new gene to replace an abnormal or defective gene

genomic medicine

personalized medical care that uses a patients unique combination of genes and chromosomes to prevent illness and maintain health

holistic care

therapies that treat the patient as a whole person after assessing the individuals physical, social, mental, and spiritual well being

in vitro

a fertilization process that takes place in a test tube or otherwise outside the body (vitro being the latin phrase for glass being the opposite of vivo meaning in the living) also known as ivf

infusion

slow and continuous injection of drugs or another solution directly into a vein using various methods such as catheters or ports

laparoscopic

pertaining to visual operations that use tubes with cameras and tools attached to them and require very small incisions

mammogram

x rays that test for breast cancer

metabolize

to process a substance through metabolism

molecular imaging

a technique that provides detailed pictures of what is happening inside the body at the molecular and cellular level.

nanotechnology

a field of science that manipulates individual atoms and molecules to create devices that are thousands of times smaller than current technologies allow

National Health Science Standards

standards determined by the National Consortium for Health Science Education, which describe the skills that workers need to succeed in healthcare careers

Outpatient Procedures

surgeries that allow patients to leave the hospital shortly after a procedure has been completed

pacemakers

devices used to regulate heartbeats

postsecondary education

education that takes place after high school

regenerative medicine

a form of medical care that creates living tissue to replace tissue or organ functions lost due to age, disease, injury, or birth disorder

stent

a tubular support that is used to keep arteries, blood vessels, canals, or ducts open to aid healing or prevent an obstruction

telesurgery

a surgical technique that combines a reliable telephone line and multimedia image communication with robotic equipment and a skilled surgeon who is a considerable distance from the patient.

western medicine

the most common form of medical care in the United States, which uses medication and surgery to treat the signs and symptoms of illness