Health and Wellness Concepts in Nursing

These flashcards cover key concepts regarding health, wellness, disparities in health care, and perioperative nursing to assist in exam preparation.

What is health defined as in nursing?

A state of complete mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

What does morbidity refer to?

The frequency of diseases occurring in a population.

What does mortality indicate?

The number of deaths resulting from a particular disease.

How is wellness defined?

An active state of being healthy, including a lifestyle promoting good physical, mental, and emotional health.

What is the difference between disease and illness?

Disease refers to pathological changes in the body's structure or function, while illness is a person's unique response to that disease.

What are acute illnesses characterized by?

Rapid onset of symptoms that generally lasts a short time.

What defines a chronic illness?

A permanent change requiring long-term care and support, often with periods of remission and exacerbation.

What is health equity?

The attainment of the highest level of health for all people.

What are social determinants of health?

Conditions in the environment where people are born, live, work, and play that affect health functioning.

What are modifiable risk factors?

Risk factors that individuals can change, such as smoking cessation and diet adjustment.

What are nonmodifiable risk factors?

Risk factors that cannot be changed, such as genetic predispositions.

What are the three levels of health promotion?

Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

What is primary prevention?

Activities aimed at preventing disease before it occurs.

What does secondary prevention focus on?

Screening for early detection of disease with prompt diagnosis and treatment.

What is tertiary prevention?

Rehabilitation and management after a disease has already been diagnosed and treated.

What is the health belief model?

A model that describes how personal beliefs about health can influence health behaviors.

What is informed consent in the context of surgery?

A process of effective communication resulting in a patient's voluntary agreement to undergo a procedure.

What is the role of the preoperative nurse?

To assess the patient, identify risk factors, and provide education before surgery.

What is the purpose of a timeout in the operating room?

To confirm patient identity, procedure, and surgical site before starting surgery.

What are never events?

Serious, preventable errors in hospitals that should never occur, such as wrong-site surgery.

What is the recovery phase post-surgery known as?

The postoperative phase, during which the patient is monitored for complications after surgery.

What is a common postoperative complication of surgery?

Hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding post-surgery.

What preventative measures can reduce DVT risk?

Administering anticoagulants, utilizing compression stockings, and promoting leg exercises.