CNA Program Key Terms

Long-term care (LTC)

• Care given in a LTC facility for people who need 24-hour skilled care (medically necessary care given by skilled professional)

• Facilities are also called skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)

Dysphagia

• Difficulty or discomfort when swallowing

Sundowning

• Becoming restless and agitated in the late afternoon, evening, or night

• Common in patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Eloping

• Patient with Alzheimer’s wanders away from protected area and doesn’t return

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• Chronic, progressive disease that cannot be cured

• Have trouble breathing

• Two types are chronic bronchitis and emphysema

Diuretic

• Medication that reduce fluid in body and increases need to urinate

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

• Medical term for heart attack

• Blood flow to heart muscle is blocked, causing waste products to not be removed and muscle cells die

• Oxygens and nutrients fail to reach cardiac muscle cells

Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)

• Disease where legs, feet, arms, hands do not have enough blood circulation due to fatty deposits in blood vessels that harden over time

• Affected body parts feel cold and becomes cyanotic

• Causes ulcers and swelling

Dyspnea

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

• When one or both sides of heart stops pumping blood properly

• Causes blood to back up to lungs, legs, feet, abdomen

• Happens when heart muscles gets damaged severely

Angina

• Chest pain, pressure, discomfort in the left side or center of chest caused by heart muscle not getting enough oxygen

• Patient might sweat, look pale, feel dizzy, or have trouble breathing

• Could be sign of heart attack

Atherosclerosis

• Hardening or narrowing of blood vessels

Rectal Suppository

• Medication that’s inserted into the rectum to treat constipation or hemorrhoids

• Used when oral medications cannot be taken

Sputum

• thick mixture of mucus and saliva coughed up from lungs and airways

Occupied bed

• Bed made while a person is in bed

Unoccupied bed

• Bed made while no person is in bed

Bronchitis

• Irritation and inflammation of the lining of bronchi

• Categorized as acute or chronic

Emphysema

• Progressive, irreversible lung disease where alveoli are destroyed.

• Caused by smoking

Closed bed

• Bed completely made with the bedspread and blankets in place

• For new admissions and after discharge

Open bed

• Bed made with linen folded down to the foot of the bed

• Ready for use (usually for patients about to return)

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

• Medical term for kidney failure

Fecal impaction

• Hard stool that is stuck and cannot be expelled.

Urinary Catheter

• Used to drain urine from the bladder

Straight Catheter

• Also called in and out catheter

• Inserted to drain urine from bladder

• Removed immediately after urine is drained; does not remain inside

Indwelling Catheter

• Also called Foley catheter

• Remains inside the bladder for a period of time

• Urine drains into a bag

Condom catheter

• Also called Texas catheter

• External catheter used on males

• Attachment fits onto penis and fasted with special tape, then drains into bag

Incontinence

• Inability to control urinary bladder or bowels - involuntary elimination

Constipation

• Inability to eliminate stool or infrequent, difficult, painful elimination of hard, dry stool

• Occurs when feces move too slowly through intestine

Hemorrhoids

• Enlarged veins in rectum

• Caused by straining during defecation, overuse of laxatives/enema, diarrhea, obesity, constipation

Diarrhea

• Frequent elimination of liquid or semiliquid feces

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

• Chronic condition where liquid contents of stomach back up into esophagus

• Cause burning sensation in esophagus (heartburn)

• Inflame and damages lining of esophagus and can cause bleeding or ulcers

Ostomy

• Surgical creation of opening from area inside the body to outside

• Opening is called stoma

Hat

• Plastic collection container placed into toilet bowl to collect and measure urine or stool

Midstream specimen (CCMS)

• Also called clean-catch specimen

• Doesn’t include first and last urine voided in sample (first has bacteria, last is diluted)

• Used to detect bacteria in urine

Routine urine specimen

• Urine is collected at any time and has no prior cleaning

• Resident voids into bedpan, urinal, commode, hat

Oxygen therapy

• Administration of oxygen to increase supply of oxygen to lungs

• Increases oxygen to body tissues

Oxygen concentrator

• Box-like device that changes air in room into air with more oxygen

Nasal cannula

• Piece of plastic tubing that fits around face and has two short prongs that fit inside the nose

• Delivers oxygen through tubes

Oxygen mask

• Fits over nose and mouth and delivers high oxygen concentrations

• Used for residents who don’t need concentrated oxygen all the time

Combustion

• Process of burning

Intravenous therapy (IV)

• Delivery of medication, nutrition, fluids through vein

• Gives direct access to bloodstream

• Either drip from bag or pumped through portable pump

Catheter

• Thin tube inserted into body to drain or inject fluids

Parenteral Nutrition (PN)

• Solution of nutrients goes directly into bloodstream, bypassing digestive system

• Used when digestive system isn’t working properly.

Nasogastric Tube

• Inserted into nose and goes to stomach.

• Used when resident is unable to swallow.

Fracture pan

• Bedpan that is flatter than regular bedpan

• Used for residents who cannot assist with raising hips on regular bedpan

Enema

• Specific amount of water (with or without additive) introduced into colon to eliminate stool

• Used to treat constipation

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

• Bacterial infection of urethra, bladder, ureter, kidney.

• Results in pain or burning during voiding and frequent feeling of needing to urinate.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

• Temporary blockage of blood flow to brain

• Causes stroke-like symptoms but resolves itself and no permanent damage

• Serves as warning sign that full stroke (CVA) could happen soon

Insulin Reaction

• Diabetic person takes too much insulin or has too little blood sugar (too little food)

• Symptoms: hunger, dizziness, nervousness, headache, numbness, blurred vision, rapid pulse, low blood pressure

• Treat with glass of milk, fruit juice, water w/ dissolve sugar, glucose tablet

• Called hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

• Diabetic person has too little insulin or too much blood sugar (too much food)

• Symptoms: increased hunger, thirst, urination, abdominal pain, deep/labored breathing, bad breath (halitosis) or fruity breath

• Notify charge nurse immediately

• Called hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)

Thrombus

• Medical term for blood clot (form of embolism)

• Forms inside blood vessel or heart

• Starts and stays stuck (stays at original site)

Prosthesis

• Device that replaces a body part that’s missing/deformed because of an accident, injury, illness, or birth defect

• E.g. dentures, artificial breast, hearing aid, artificial limbs

Embolus

• Mobile piece of thrombus, plague, fat globule, air bubble that circulates through bloodstream until blocks vessel somewhere

• Breaks off, travels, and gets stuck

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

• When thrombus (blood clot) forms inside a deep vein, blocking it

Infection

• Germ invades body tissues, multiplies (can trigger immune system reaction, but not always)

• Caused by pathogens

Edema

• Swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

• Medical term for stroke

• Blood supply to brain is blocked/interrupted, causing brain cells to die

• Typically caused by embolism

• Symptoms: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, time to call 911

Shock

• Organs and tissue in body do not receive adequate blood supply

• Causes blood pressure to drop

• Can be caused by embolism, blood loss, infection, allergic reaction, heart failure

FAST acronym

• Used to detect stroke
  
  F - Face drooping
  A - Arm weakness/numbness
  S - Speech difficulty (slurring)
  T - Time to call emergency services (911)

Embolism

• Obstruction of a blood vessel, usually a blood clot but can also be foreign objects

• Cuts off oxygen and blood supply to vital organs/tissue

Inflammation

• Immune system reaction to injury, damage, infection

• Always causes edema (swelling)

Voiding

• Act of urinating by emptying bladder

Sitz Bath

• Treatment including shallow, warm water bath used to heal and sooth perineum

Aspiration

• Inhalation of food, fluid, foreign material in lungs.

• Can cause pneumonia or death

• When giving oral care to unconscious patients, turn them to their side to prevent

Terminal illness

• Illness that will eventually cause death

Chronic

• Condition lasting a long period of time

Home health care

• Also called home care

• Care provided in a person’s home

Assisted Living Facilities

• Residences for people who need some help with daily tasks (showering, meals, dressing)

• People do not need 24-hour skilled care

Adult Day Services

• Service for people who need some help/supervision during certain hours

• Do not live in facility where care is provided

Acute care

• 24-hour skilled care given in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers

• For people who require short-term, immediate care for illnesses/injuries

Subacute care

• Care given in hospitals/LTCF

• For people who need less care for an acute illness but more than chronic illness

• Treatment ends when condition stabilizes or treatment set time has completed

Outpatient care

• Given to people who have had treatments, procedures, surgeries and need short-term skilled care.

• Medical procedure, consultation, or treatment that does not require an overnight stay in a hospital or medical facility

Rehabilitation

• Therapy aimed at helping to restore or improve function after an illness or injury

Hospice care

• Given in facilities/homes for people who have 6 months or less to live

• Hospice workers give physical/emotional care to both patient + patient’s family until patient dies

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)

• Personal care tasks

• Bathing, showering, dressing, eating, drinking, walking, elimination

Medicare

• Insurance program for people aged 65 or older or those with permanent organ failures or certain disabilities
  - Part A: pays for care in hospital/SNF/hospice/home health agency
  - Part B: pays for doctor, medical services and equipment
  - Part C: allows private health insurance companies to provide Medicare benefits
  - Part D: pays for medically necessary, prescribed medication for treatment

Medicaid

• Medical assistance for low income and disabled people

• Eligibility determined by income and special circumstances

Scope of Practice

• Range of tasks healthcare providers are legally allowed to do according to the law

Care plan

• Plan developed for each resident to achieve certain goals

• Outlines steps and tasks that must be performed

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA)

• Law outlining minimum standard for NA training, staff requirements, assessment instruction, and rights for resident

Assault

• Threat to harm a person

Battery

• Intentional touching of a person without their consent

False imprisonment

• Unlawful restraint that restricts person’s freedom of movement

• Includes both threatening to and actually restraining

Involuntary seculsion

• Separation of person from others against their will (confinement)

Neglect

• Failure to provide needed care resulting in physical, mental, emotional harm to person

Negligence

• Actions/failure to act or provide proper care resulting in unintended injury

Malpractice

• Person is injured due to professional misconduct through negligence, carelessness, lack of skill

Ombudsman

• Required by Older Americans Act (OAA)

• Assigned to LTCF by law to act as legal advocate for residents

• Resolves conflicts + settle disputes

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

• Law that mandates that medical professionals must keep health information private and secure

• Must take special steps to protect health information

Protected health information (PHI)

• Information used to identify a person and relates to patient’s condition

Incident

• Accident, problem, or unexpected event during course of care

• Not part of normal routine

Standard Precaution

• Method of infection prevention

• All blood, bodily fluids, non-intact skin, mucous membranes treated as if they were infected with an infectious disease

• Should be used with every resident

Sterilization

• Cleaning measure that destroys all microorganisms, including pathogens (organisms that causes disease

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

• Standardized document that outlines the hazards, safe handling, and emergency procedures for a specific chemical substance or product

Objective information

• Also called signs

• Factual, measurable, observable data

• What healthcare provider can measure (blood pressure, blood test, imaging scans)

Subjective information

• Also called symptoms

• Based on something that resident reports (may or may not be true)

Ambulatory

• Capable of walking

• In case of fire, save ambulatory first

Nonambulatory

• Not capable of walking

• In case of fire, save ambulatory first

Syncope

• Loss of consciousness; fainting

• Can be caused by hunger, hypoglycemia, dehydration, fear, pain, fatigue, overheating, etc.

Localized infections

• Infections limited to a specific location in the body

• Symptoms near site of infection