Universal Student Hospital Orientation Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core healthcare concepts, safety protocols, infection control, patient rights, and regulations from the Nassau-Suffolk Council Universal Student Hospital Orientation.

L-A-S-T Model

A service recovery technique for handling service breakdowns consisting of Listen to the explanation, Apologize on behalf of the organization, Satisfy by offering a solution, and Thank the individual.

Culture

Shared values, beliefs, customs, and symbols that are learned and passed on, providing meaning and a blueprint for living among group members.

Ethnicity

An affiliation with a group often linked by race, nationality, language, or common cultural heritage.

Ethnocentrism

The belief that one's own cultural group's beliefs and values are superior and most acceptable, stemming from ignorance or lack of exposure.

Stereotyping

A fixed and distorted generalization made about all members of a group with negative results and without attempting to learn about the individual.

Prejudice

Strongly held opinions about a topic or group stemming from ignorance, misunderstanding, past experience, or fear, resulting in damage in disregard of one's rights.

Discrimination

The act of acting on prejudice and denying another person their fundamental rights.

HIPAA

Health Information Portability and Accountability Act; a federal law standardizing patient health information and protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Patient health data and records protected under HIPAA privacy and security rules.

Need-to-Know Principle

The privacy guideline requiring healthcare personnel and student nurses to discuss PHI only as it applies directly to their education or patient care.

Patient's Bill of Rights

A New York State mandated document distributed to all admitted hospital patients detailing their legal rights regarding treatment, privacy, consent, and non-discrimination.

Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991 (PSDA)

A federal law establishing patient rights regarding health care decision-making and advance directives.

Advance Directives

Declarations made by a competent person outlining their choices about future medical treatment, such as a Living Will or Health Care Proxy.

Living Will

Written instructions that explain an individual's health care wishes, particularly regarding end-of-life care.

Health Care Proxy

The legal appointment of a health care representative to make healthcare decisions when an individual becomes unable to do so for themselves.

ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses

The nonnegotiable professional standard stating the ethical obligations, duties, primary goals, and values of every individual entering the nursing profession.

Clostridium difficile (C. diff)

A spore-forming bacterial organism causing hospital-acquired diarrhea that is resistant to alcohol-based gels and requires handwashing with soap and water.

Hand Hygiene Protocol

The requirement to wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of $20\text{ seconds}$ when visibly soiled or after caring for a C. diff patient, or rub alcohol gel until dry for non-soiled routine care.

Modes of transmission (Infection)

• contact (direct and indirect )

• Droplet

• Common vehicle

• Vector borne

Natural Nails Policy

The nursing standard requiring natural nails to be clean, intact, and no longer than $\frac{1}{4}\text{ inch}$ past the fingertip, while banning artificial nails, tips, and wraps.

OSHA Exposure Control Plan

A written policy located in the Infection Control Manual outlining Standard Precautions, engineering controls, PPE, Hepatitis B vaccination, and post-exposure follow-up.

Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Protocol

Immediate action required after exposure: wash skin or needle stick wounds thoroughly with soap and water, or flush eyes at an eyewash station with large amounts of water.

Standard Precautions

Infection prevention measures applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, covering blood, non-intact skin, mucous membranes, and all body fluids except sweat.

Airborne Precautions

Transmission-based isolation protocol requiring a single, negative pressure room with the door closed and an N95 respirator for healthcare providers.

Droplet Precautions

Transmission-based isolation protocol for respiratory droplets requiring a private room and a procedure or surgical mask for healthcare providers.

Contact Precautions

Transmission-based isolation protocol requiring a private room (or cohorting) and wearing gown and gloves upon entering the room.

National Patient Safety

requiring the use of at least two patient identifiers (such as patient name and date of birth) before giving medication or treatment.

Universal Protocol

A surgical safety standard to prevent errors by verifying correct patient and procedure, marking the surgical site, and holding a pause (time-out) before surgery.

Rapid Response Team (RRT)

An interdisciplinary team activated to intervene when a patient shows early signs of deterioration (such as HR $<40\text{--}45$ or $>130\text{--}140$, SBP $<90\text{ mmHg}$, RR $<8\text{--}10$ or $>28\text{--}35$) before cardiac arrest occurs.

Patient Safety ACE

An acronym describing the nurse's role in patient safety as Advocate (assuring policy execution and speaking up), Caregiver (assessing and executing plans of care), and Educator (teaching patients and families).

Hospital Incident Command System (HICS)

An emergency response framework activated during hospital emergencies across four alert levels (Level I Alert, Level II Minor, Level III Moderate, Level IV Significant/Long-term).

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Informational documents that detail physical and health hazards, safe handling procedures, spill cleanup, and control measures for specific chemical agents.

R-A-C-E

A fire safety action acronym standing for Remove patients from danger, Announce/Activate alarm, Confine fire by closing doors, and Extinguish with proper extinguisher.

P-A-S-S

The fire extinguisher operation steps standing for Pull the pin, Aim nozzle at base of fire, Squeeze handle, and Sweep side to side.

Type A Fire Extinguisher

A silver water extinguisher used for ordinary combustibles such as paper, wood, and linen.

Type B & C Fire Extinguisher

A red carbon dioxide extinguisher used for flammable liquids (grease, oil, gas) and electrical equipment fires.

Type A/B/C Fire Extinguisher

A multi-purpose red dry chemical extinguisher used for ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical fires.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

Classification for patients who do not speak English as primary language, entitling them to free language interpretation services within $10\text{ minutes}$ in urgent settings and $20\text{ minutes}$ in non-urgent settings.