Nurse Aide I Key Terms Study Guide

Vocabulary terms and definitions from the Nurse Aide I study guide covering nursing skills, local regulations, ethics, legalities, and resident care.

AM Care

Personal activities done in the morning that include toileting, face/hand wash, and mouth care before/after breakfast.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)

Term used in health care to describe everyday things that a resident routinely does, such as hygiene and grooming, dressing, eating, toileting, and transferring.

Basic Nursing Skills

Essential skills required of nurse aides to deliver competent care to residents in health care settings.

Cognition

The manner in which messages from the five senses are collected, stored in memory, recovered from memory, and later used to answer questions, respond to requests, and perform tasks.

Delegation

The process of assigning part of one’s responsibility to another qualified person in a specific situation; transferring responsibility for the performance of an activity or task while retaining accountability for the outcome.

Grooming

Tasks done to maintain the person’s appearance, such as caring for fingernails and hair.

Hygiene

Tasks done to keep bodies clean and healthy, such as bathing and brushing teeth.

Interpersonal Skills

In a health care setting, generally refers to a health care provider’s ability to get along with others, while getting the job done.

North Carolina Board of Nursing

Regulatory body that provides list of tasks that fall within the range of function for nurse aides in North Carolina.

North Carolina Board of Nursing Administrative Code

Defines range of function for nurse aides in North Carolina.

North Carolina Health Care Personnel Registry Section

Section of the State of North Carolina that provides services for unlicensed health care workers, their employers, and their instructors and maintains NC Nurse Aide I Registry.

North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry

A registry of all people who meet state and federal training and testing requirements to perform Nurse Aide I tasks, in the State of North Carolina.

Nurse Aide I in the State of North Carolina

A valued, unlicensed member of the health care team, responsible for providing delegated nursing tasks, within a defined range of function, for residents (patients/clients), in a variety of settings, and who is listed on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry.

OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) of 1987

Federal Law, enacted by Congress, in 1987, to improve quality of life of residents living in a nursing home environment.

PM Care

Personal activities done in the evening that include toileting, face/hand wash, snack, mouth care, and backrub.

Personal Care Skills

Tasks that deal with a person’s body, appearance, and hygiene, typically done on a daily basis.

Team

A group of people, with a common purpose, assigned tasks, and coordinated effort, to get a job done.

Work Ethic

Is behavior in workplace that includes appearance, communication skills, treatment of others, choices, judgment, and teamwork.

Assessment

First step of nursing process; collecting information about a resident.

Evaluation

Fifth step of nursing process; deciding if nursing measures worked or were effective, and whether goal was met.

Implementation

Fourth step of nursing process; nursing measures carried out during resident care.

Kardex

A type of card file that includes information important to the care of residents and includes drugs, treatments, diagnoses, routine care measures, and special needs.

Nursing Care Plan (or the care plan)

Individualized, written plan of care for residents based on nursing process written by the nurse and used for coordination and continuity of care.

Nursing Diagnosis

Second step of nursing process; a health problem that nurses can treat using nursing measures.

Nursing Process

Method used by nurses to plan and deliver nursing care to the resident.

Planning

Third step of nursing process; setting of resident goals that are prioritized.

Person-centered Care

Is the practice of basing resident care on individual resident needs, preferences and expectations.

Critical Thinking

Safely providing resident care in a variety of situations based on facts learned and bedside observations, or the ability to think on one’s feet.

Dignity

Quality or state of being worthy of esteem or self-respect.

Empathy

Identifying with and understanding the feelings of another, without feeling sorry for the person.

Abuse

Willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish.

Assault

Act of threatening to touch, or attempting to touch a person, without proper consent.

Basic Human Rights

Are protected by the Constitution of the United States and state that a person has the right to be treated with respect, live in dignity, pursue a meaningful life and be free of fear.

Battery

Touching a person without consent.

Civil Law

Law that deals with relationships between people.

Code of Ethics

Rules of conduct for particular group, may differ from one facility to another, but revolves around idea that resident is valuable person who deserves ethical care.

Confidentiality

Not disclosing or telling information that is personal or private about a resident, except to authorized people.

Consent

The right to decide what will be done to the body and who can touch the body, may be written consent, verbal consent, or implied consent.

Criminal Law

Offenses against the public and society.

Defamation

False statement made to a third person that causes a person shame or ridicule, or ruins their reputation; written is called libel; verbal is called slander.

Disclosure

Making known to the public.

Diversion of Drugs

Unauthorized taking or use of any drug.

False Imprisonment

Unlawful restraining or restricting a person’s movement.

Fraud

An intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with knowledge that deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to self or some other person.

Invasion of Privacy

Violation of right to control personal information or the right to be left alone.

Laws

Rules made by government to help protect public.

Malpractice

Giving care for which you are not allowed legally to perform.

Misappropriation of Property

Illegal or improper use of resident’s money, property, assets; by another, without consent, for personal gain.

Neglect

A failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.

Negligence

Actions or failure to act or give proper care resulting in injury.

Nondisclosure

Not making known to the public.

Privacy

The personal responsibility and activities done to prevent the intrusion of one person onto another.

Resident’s Rights

Rights that have been written into Federal law (OBRA) that identify how a resident must be treated while living in a long-term care facility.

Vulnerable Adults

Adults who are at risk for abuse or mistreatment because they are not able to protect selves from harm due to mental, emotional, developmental disability; or brain damage; or changes from aging.

Incident Reports

Method of documenting facts surrounding any unexpected event in healthcare setting.