Vocabulary 2022 part 1

24 hr. Urine Collection

a urine specimen in which all urine is collected for a 24 hour period and tested.

Abandonment

Leaving a patient after care has been initiated and before the patient has been transferred to someone with equal or greater medical training.

Abdominal Thrust

a method of attempting to remove an object from the airway of someone who is choking

Ability

the power or skill to do something

Abuse Registry Department of Health (DOH)

Listing of professionals who have committed abuse

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

The most advanced, and fatal, stage of an HIV infection.

Acute Care

care of people having rapid onset or short illness

Adaptive/Assistive Devices

special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled perform ADLs

ADL's

Activities of Daily living: ie, showering, eating

Adult Protective Services (APS)

Government agency that oversees the welfare of the elderly

Advance Directive

Written documentation that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient should the patient become unable to make decisions; also called a living will or health care directive.

Agitation

a state of anxiety or nervous excitement

Alternatives

A choice limited to one of two possibilities, as of things, propositions, or coursed of action.

Alveoli

air sacs in the lungs

Alzheimer's Disease

A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

AM Care

morning care

Amputation

partial or complete removal of a limb

Amputee

someone who has had a limb removed by amputation

Anaphylaxis

Severe allergic reaction

Anemia

A condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin, or in total volume.

Anti-microbial

capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microorganisms

Anxiety

The condition of feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen

Aphasia

inability to speak

Apical

apex of the heart can be used for pulse

Apnea

absence of breathing

Artery

A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart

Arthritis

inflammation of a joint

Asepsis

Absence of pathogens

Aspiration

Breathing fluid, food, vomitus, or an object into the lungs

Aspiration Precautions

Sit up at 90 degree angle in bed or chair for meals, or follow specific positioning

Stay up 30 minutes after meal. Then 45

degree angle at all times.

Asthma

A chronic allergic disorder characterized by episodes of severe breathing difficulty, coughing, and wheezing.

Atrophy

to waste away

Autism

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficient communication, social interaction, and understanding of others' states of mind

Axillary

armpit

Bacteria

(microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission

base of support

standing with feet 8-10 inches apart to provide better balance

bed cradle

a metal or plastic frame suspended over the hospital bed to keep the weight of the linen off the resident's body

bed pan

is an object used or the toileting of a bedridden patient in health care facility, usually made of a metal, glass, or plastic receptacle.

Bed protector

A square of quilted absorbent fabric backed with waterproof material

belief

a descriptive thought that a person holds about something

belonging

being connected to others, part of a group or family or community

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)

swelling of the gland which surrounds the base of the male bladder and urethra causing difficulty urinating, dribbling, and nocturia

beside commode

chair with a toilet seat and a removable bucket underneath it

Bias

prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Biohazardous

Chemicals that are dangerous to living things

bipolar disorder

A mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania.

Bladder

stores urine

bladder retraining

a program of urinating on a schedule with increasingly longer time intervals

Blindness

inability to see

Blood borne pathogens

Disease-causing organisms transferred through contact with blood or other body fluids

blood clot

thrombus

blood pressure

the pressure that is exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels

blood sugar

glucose

body language

nonverbal communication through gestures, facial expressions, behaviors, and posture

Body mechanics

the proper use of the body to facilitate lifting and moving and prevent injury

bony prominences

areas of the body where the bone lies close to the skin

bowel movement (BM)

defecation

bowel obstruction

a blockage in the intestine

Bowel Retraining

helps to reestablish normal bowel movements in persons who suffer from constipation, diarrhea, incontinence, or irregularity.

brachial artery

The major vessel in the upper extremity that supplies blood to the arm.

brain

The mass of nerve tissue that is the main control center of the nervous system

briefs

Adult diapers

Bronchi

The passages that direct air into the lungs

bronchitis

inflammation of the bronchi

Burns

injury to tissues caused by heat contact

call light

allows the patient to call for help via light and/or sound

cane

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

capillary

A tiny blood vessel where substances are exchanged between the blood and the body cells.

Carbohydrates

the starches and sugars present in foods

Cardiac

pertaining to the heart

care plan

a written plan for each resident created by a nurse; outlines the steps taken by the staff to help the resident reach his or her goals

Cataracts

clouding of the lens

catastrophic reaction

reacting to something in an unreasonable, exaggerated way

centigrade

referring to a thermometer scale of 100 degrees where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees

Central Nervous System (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

cerebral palsy

A loss or deficiency of motor control with involuntary spasms caused by permanent brain damage present at birth

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA, Stroke)

damage to the brain caused by cerebrovascular disease, such as occlusion of a blood vessel by a thrombus or embolus (ischemic stroke) or intracranial hemorrhage after rupture of an aneurysm (hemorrhagic stroke)

Certification

Documentation of having met certain standards

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

an individual who has completed a state approved course and has successfully completed certification testing. Provides direct care.

chain of infection

factors that lead to the transmission or spread of disease

Cheyne-Stokes

abnormal breathing pattern; periods of dyspnea and apnea

chronic

continuing for a long time

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

permanent, destructive pulmonary disorder that is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema

Circumcised

The fold of skin (foreskin) covering the glans of the penis was surgically removed

clean catch midstream

is a method of collecting a urine sample for various tests, including urinalysis and urine culture

Clergy

Church officials

Cliché

a worn-out idea or overused expression

client

Patient

closed bed

a bed completely made with the bedspread and blankets in place

Clostridium difficile (C. diff)

bacterial infection, generally associated with antibiotic use, causing severe, watery loose stools

cognition

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

cognitive impairment

loss of ability to think logically; concentration and memory are affected

Collection device (hat)

used to collect urine or feces for a specimen

colostomy

the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface

Communicable

contagious

Communication

The imparting or exchanging of information or news

condom catheter

A catheter that has an attachment on the end that fits onto the penis.

Confidentiality

the act of holding information in confidence, not to be released to unauthorized individuals

confusion

mental state in which environmental stimuli are not processed appropriately

congestive heart failure (CHF)

heart is unable to pump its required amount of blood