12 Day Curriculum Daily Vocabulary List

A set of vocabulary flashcards derived directly from the 12 Day Curriculum covering medical, phlebotomy, and laboratory terms.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

The organs and structures of the heart and blood vessels that transport nutrients, water, hormones, gasses, and other substances throughout the body.

INFECTION

The invasion and proliferation of pathogens in body tissue.

MICROORGANISMS

Living things that are too small to see without magnification.

PATHOGEN

Disease-causing micro-organism.

SPUTUM

Fluid that people cough up from the lungs.

ERGONOMICS

The design and arrangement of objects so that people interact with them most efficiently and safely.

DERMAL PUNCTURE

A procedure that involves puncturing the finger or heel with a lancet device to obtain a small quantity of blood for testing. Also referred to as skin puncture or a capillary collection.

ANTECUBITAL

In of the elbow (from ante, meaning before, and cubitum, meaning elbow).

BEVEL

Sharpened and slanted cut edge of a needle designed to ease in the process of puncturing tissue.

PLASMA

Liquid portion of the blood in which blood cells are suspended.

ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID (EDTA)

An additive in collection tubes used as an anticoagulant to keep blood specimens from clotting.

SERUM

Straw-colored liquid portion of the blood visible after the specimen has been allowed to clot and after centrifugation.

MEDIAN CUBITAL VEIN

Vein located near the middle of the antecubital area. First choice for a venipuncture collection.

CEPHALIC VEIN

Vein that runs along the lateral side of the antecubital region. The second choice for venipuncture and can result in slight pain for the patient due to the location.

BASILIC VEIN

Vein that runs medially and is located in the upper arm and forearm. Last choice for venipuncture because of proximity to nerves and arteries.

HEMOCONCENTRATION

Excessive accumulation of blood into an area of the body, usually caused by a tourniquet left on too long or a patient pumping their fist.

LUMEN

Hollow core of the vein; best place for needle position during venipuncture.

TRANSFIX

To puncture through both sides of the vein, resulting in a failed blood collection.

HEMOLYSIS

Destruction of red blood cells.

IATROGENIC ANEMIA

Anemia caused by collecting too much blood from a patient by volume in a given amount of time.

HEMATOCRIT

Portion of blood that is expressed as a percentage by volume and consists of packed red blood cells.

BASAL STATE

Condition of rest and fasting, usually for at least 12 hours and typically in the morning upon waking.

MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Treatment that involves a machine (respirator, ventilator) performing or assisting with breathing.

FASTING

Not eating or drinking anything except water for a period of time, often 8-12 hrs.

HEMODIALYSIS

A process that uses a machine to remove waste and excess fluid from the blood of patients whose kidneys no longer perform these functions.

THROMBOSED

Clotted.

HEMATOMA

A collection of blood underneath the skin; a bruise.

ANTECUBITAL FOSSA

The area of the arm at the inner side or bend of the elbow; antecubital space.

LATERAL

Toward the side; away from the center of the body.

MEDIAL

Towards the middle; close to the center of the body.

DORSAL

Towards the back of the body.

PHLEBITIS

Inflammation of a blood vessel.

SCLEROTIC

Thickened or scared vein or vessel caused by repeated puncture.

TORTUOUS

Twisted.

HEMOSTASIS

Stopping of blood flow.

BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN STANDARD

An OSHA-mandated set of requirements concerning protection against pathogenic microorganism that are transmitted via human blood and cause disease in humans.

CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR)

A basic emergency procedure in cases of cardiopulmonary arrest to re-establish effective circulation and ventilation.

BIOLOGIC HAZARD

Also known as biohazard; any biological risk to organisms.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Items that are worn to reduce exposure to potentially infectious agents.

EXPOSEURE CONTROL PLAN

An OSHA-compliant plan that explains ways to minimize or eliminate exposure of humans to bloodborne pathogens.

ISOLATION

Methods that protect people from exposure to a contagion or protect an immunocompromised individual from acquiring an infection.

N95 OR N99 RESPIRATOR

A mask that helps protect the wearer from airborne diseases.

DISINFECTANT

A substance that helps remove harmful micro-organisms from surfaces.

QUALITY CONTROL

A measure of how well an instrument can produce the same result over a period of time, thus ensuring precision in laboratory testing and accuracy in test results.

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)

Any information that a health care provider creates or receives that relates to past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual, the provision of health care to an individual, or the payment for the provision of health care to an individual.

ASSUALT

The intentional creation of apprehension leading to a fear of harm.

BATTERY

The intentional touching or handling of a person without permission.

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS

The basic level of infection-control practices health care workers must perform before, during, and after every encounter with patients to prevent the spread of infection.

MEANS OF TRNAMSISSION

How a pathogen moves to a host via direct or indirect contact with people.

PETECHIAE

Small hemorrhagic spots that appear under the surface of the skin.

VENA CAVAE

Large veins (venous trunks) that return deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.

OXYGENATION

The process of supplying the body with oxygen.

CARBON DIOXIDE

An odorless, colorless gas that forms in the tissues and is eliminated by the lungs.

SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

A division of the nervous system that prepares the body to act efficiently in stressful situations (fight or flight).

PARASYMATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

A division of the nervous system that prepares the body for digestion and rest.

OSMOSIS

The diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane.

DIFFUSION

The movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

FILTRATION

A process that separates substances by forcing them through a membrane.

ELECTROLYTE

A chemical substance that develops an electrical charge and can conduct an electrical current when placed in water.

HORMONE

A chemical a cell produces that affects the function of other cells.

ANTIBODY

A type of protein the immune system produces to neutralize a threat of some kind.

EXCRETE

Eliminate.

FIBRINOGEN

A plasma protein that converts into fibrin to form a clot during bleeding.

BONE MARROW

The soft tissue inside bones that produces blood forming cells.

ANTIGEN

Any substance capable of inducing a specific immune response and triggering the production of an antibody specific to that substance.

COAGULATION

The process by which a clot forms in the blood.

BLOOD BANK

A place where blood is collected from donors, typed, separated into components, stored, and prepared for transfusion to recipients; a blood bank may be a separate free-standing facility, or part of a larger laboratory in a hospital.

AUTOLOGOUS TRANSFUSION

When a patient donates blood to be used for their own needs for future use.

THERAPUTIC PHLEBOTOMY

A form of phlebotomy prescribed as treatment for patients who have polycythemia vera or hemochromatosis.

POLYCYTHEMIA VERA

Hight red blood cell count.

HEMOCHROMATOSIS

High iron count.

APHERESIS

Removal of blood plasma from a patient's body without withdrawing the blood itself. The process separates the blood into plasma and cells, returning the cells to the patient's blood. Also known as Power Red.

PLASMAPHERESIS

Removal of blood plasma from whole blood.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Lab standards the CDC established to help maintain the highest level of test accuracy possible.

CLIA-WAIVED

Tests of the least complexity to perform and with a low risk for error.

PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR

Also called blood films; the procedure consists of a thin-layer of blood smeared on a microscope slide & then stained to allow microscopic examination.

BLOOD SMEAR

A blood test procedure performed on microscopic slides that gives info about the number & shape of blood cells.

CAPILLARY PUNCTURE

Also known as a dermal puncture or finger stick, used to collect small samples of blood composed of capillary, venous or arterial blood.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Mucous secretions that accumulate in various organs.

HYPOTHYROIDISM

Decrease thyroid function.

PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU)

A metabolic genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Classic PKU causes permanent intellectual disability, seizures, delayed development, behavioral problems, psychiatric disorders, a mousy body odor, lightening of skin & hair, & eczema. Phenylalanine can be found in most foods; if not broken down, it can rise to toxic levels in infants. Brian damage can occur when phenylketone levels become toxic.

GALACTOSEMIA

Lack of an enzyme that breaks down galactose (a milk sugar) into glucose. If untreated, the infant can slowly starve to death.

BIOTINIDASE DEFICIENCY

Deficiency of the enzyme that breaks down biotin.

SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Abnormal hemoglobin structure.

EMPATHY

Sensitivity to and identification with another person's problems, without expressing sorrow or sympathy.

CONTROL MATERIAL

Sample specimen with known laboratory valves, used prior to processing a patient's sample.

STOOL

Solid waste the intestines eliminate through the anus; fecal matter.

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

Liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

AMNIOTIC FLUID

Liquid that surrounds a fetus inside the sac in the uterus.

URINARY CATHETER

A tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine from the body.

pH

A measure of acid-base balance.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY

A measure of concentration.

HEMOGOLBIN

The red, oxygen-carrying portion of red blood cells.

RANDOM URINE

A urine specimen collected at any time of day for screening purposes; no preparation is required.

KETONES

Acids that form from the breakdown of fatty acids in the absence of insulin.

BILIRUBIN

Yellow or orange product of the breakdown of hemoglobin.

CULTURE AND SENSITIVITY

A urine test performed to test for urinary tract infections.

RANDOM

a urine specimen that may be collected at any time without the restrictions of fasting, timing or aseptic condition.

CLEAN-CATCH MIDSTREAM

A method of performing a urine collection that helps prevent bacterial contamination.

GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST (GTT)

A test performed to determine how well a patients body metabolizes sugar.