CNA Vocabulary

Abduction

moving a body part away from the body.

Abuse

purposely causing physical, mental, or emotional pain or injury to someone.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

personal care tasks a person does every day to care for him- or herself; include bathing, dressing, caring for teeth and hair, toileting, eating and drinking, and moving around.

Activity Therapy

therapy for people with Alzheimer's djsease that uses activities to prevent boredom and frustration.

Acute

an illness that has severe symptoms.

Acute care

care performed in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.

Adaptive devices

special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform ADLs; also called assistive devices.

Adduction

moving a body part toward the body.

Adult daycare

care given at a facility during daytime hours; generally for people who need some help but are not seriously ill or disabled.

Advance directives

documents that allow people to choose what kind of medical care they wish to have if they are unable to make those decisions themselves.

Affected side

a weakened side from a stroke or injury; also called the "weaker" or "involved" side.

Ageism

prejudice toward, stereotyping of, and/or discrimination against older persons or the elderly.

Airborne Precautions

used for diseases that can be transmitted through the air after being expelled.

Ambulation

walking.

Amputation

removal of some or all of a body part.

Angina pectoris

chest pain.

Anxiety

uneasiness or fear, often about a situation or condition.

Apathy

a lack of interest.

Aphasia

the inability to speak or to speak clearly.

Asepsis

term meaning that no infection is present.

Aspiration

the inhalation of food or drink into the lungs; can cause pneumonia or death.

Assault

when a person feels fearful that he will be touched without his permission.

Assisted living

facilities where residents live who need some assistance; they do not usually require skilled care.

Assistive devices

special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform ADLs; also called adaptive devices.

Atrophy

the wasting away, decreasing in size, and weakening of muscles.

Autoimmune illness

condition in which the body's immune system attacks normal tissue in the body.

Battery

when a person is touched without his or her permission.

Bloodborne pathogens

microorganisms found in human blood; can cause infection and disease in humans.

Body mechanics

the way the parts of the body work together whenever a person moves.

Bony prominences

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

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

medical procedures used when a person's heart or lungs have stopped working.

Care plan

a plan developed for each resident to achieve certain goals.

Care team

people with different education and experience who help care for residents.

Catastrophic reaction

overreacting to something in an unreasonable way.

Catheter

a tube used to drain urine from the bladder.

C. difficile (C. diff clostridium difficile)

a bacterial illness that can cause diarrhea and colitis; spread by spores in feces that are difficult to kill.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

a federal government agency that issues guidelines to protect and improve health.

Chain of command

the order of authority within a facility.

Chain of infection

a way to describe how disease is transmitted from one living being to another.

Charting

writing down information.

Chronic

refers to the fact that a disease or condition is long-term or long-lasting.

Cliches

phrases that are used over and over again and do not really mean anything.

Closed bed

a bed completely made with the bedspread and blankets in place.

Cognition

the ability to think logically and quickly.

Combative

violent or hostile behavior.

Combustion

the process of burning.

Communication

the process of exchanging information with others.

Compassionate

caring, concerned, empathetic, and understanding.

Condom catheter

an external catheter that has an attachment on the end that fits onto the penis; also called a Texas catheter.

Confidentiality

keeping private things private.

Confusion

the inability to think clearly.

Conscientious

always trying to do one's best.

Considerate

being understanding of residents' feelings and privacy.

Constipation

the difficult and often painful elimination of a hard, dry stool.

Constrict

to close.

Contact Precautions

used when a resident is at risk of transmitting or contracting a microorganism from touching an infected object or person.

Contractures

the permanent and often painful stiffening of a joint and muscle.

Cultural diversity

the variety of people living and working together in the world.

Culture

a system of behaviors people learn from the people they grow up and live with.

Dangle

to sit up with the feet over the side of the bed to regain balance.

Defense mechanisms

unconscious behaviors used to release tension or cope with stress.

Dehydration

a serious condition in which there is not enough fluid in the body.

Delusions

believing things that are not true.

Dementia

a serious loss of mental abilities such as thinking, remembering, reasoning, and communicating.

Dentures

artificial teeth.

Dependable

being on time and helping others when they need it.

Diabetes

a condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin; causes problems with circulation and can damage vital organs.

Diagnosis

a medical condition.

Diastolic

phase when the heart relaxes.

Diet cards

cards that list the resident"s name and information about special diets, allergies, likes and dislikes, and other instructions.

Digestion

the process of breaking down food so that it can be absorbed into the cells.

Dilate

to widen.

Disinfection

measure used to decrease the spread of pathogens and disease by destroying pathogens.

Disorientation

confusion about time or place.

Diuretics

drugs that reduce fluid in the body.

Domestic violence

abuse by spouses or intimate partners.

Dorsiflexion

bending backward.

Double-bagging

putting waste in a trash bag, closing it, and putting the first bag in a second, clean trash bag and closing it.

Draw sheets

turning sheets that are placed under residents who are unable to assist with turning, lifting, or moving up in bed.

Droplet Precautions

used when the disease-causing microorganism does not stay suspended in the air and travels only short distances after being expelled.

Dysphagia

difficulty swallowing.

Edema

swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues.

Elimination

the process of expelling solid wastes that are not absorbed into the cells.

Emotional lability

laughing or crying without any reason, or when it is inappropriate.

Empathy

being able to enter into the feelings of others.

Enema

a specific amount of water flowed into the colon to eliminate stool.

Ergonomics

the practice of designing equipment and work tasks to suit the worker's abilities.

Ethics

the knowledge of right and wrong.

Expiration

exhaling air out of the lungs.

Extension

straightening a body part.

False imprisonment

the unlawful restraint of someone which affects the person's freedom of movement; includes both the threat of being physically restrained and actually being physically restrained.

Fecal impaction

a hard stool stuck in the rectum that cannot be expelled.

Financial abuse

stealing, taking advantage of, or improperly using the money, property, or other assets of another.

First aid

care given in an emergency before trained medical professionals can take over.

Flammable

easily ignited and capable of burning quickly.

Flexion

bending a body part.

Fluid balance

maintaining equal input and output, or taking in and eliminating equal amounts of fluid.

Fluid overload

a condition in which the body is unable to handle the amount of fluid consumed.

Force fluids

a medical order for a person to drink more fluids.

Fowler's

position with the person partially reclined.