Nurse Aide State Exam Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words  and Things to Remember

What is a care plan?

• It’s the plan of care developed by the nurse. It is kept in the patient’s chart. It may include items such as: turn pt every hour or ambulate pt three times per day.

What is a policy book?

• It is the book that contains the policies and procedures. It is usually found at the nurses station.

What is the MSDS book?

• It contains the material safety data sheets that give emergency information if a worker is exposed to a chemical.

When do we wear gloves?

• If it’s wet and warm (or cold) and not yours.

What do you look for in a patient with a cast?

• You want to make sure they have good circulation. You do this by pressing on the fingers or toes and make sure the blood is circulating. It should turn light when you press on it but then go back to its normal color. Are the toes warm and pink?

What’s a suffix?

• suf·fix (sŭf'ĭks)
• An affix added to the end of a word or stem, serving to form a new word or functioning as an inflectional ending, such as -ness in gentleness, -ing in walking, or -s in sits.
• …itis, …pnea

What’s a prefix

• pre·fix (prē'fĭks') 
• To put or attach before or in front of.
• Dys..
• Dyspnea dysuria dysphagia

What’s in a liquid diet

• Full liquids
• Ice cream, cream soups, milk shakes

What’s in a clear liquid diet?

• You have to be able to see the bottom of the glass at room temperature.
• Jello, popsicle, broth, juice

What are microorganisms?

• Fungi such as yeast
• Bacteria such as staph and strep
• Viruses such as chicken pox, herpes and HIV
• When in doubt wash your hands.
• Patient safety is always a priority.

Microbes

• mi·crobe (mī'krōb') 
• A minute life form; a microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes disease.
• They can be seen under a microscope

Asepsis

• A is the prefix which means without
• Sepsis is the suffix meaning with pathogen or bacteria.
• Therefore asepsis means without infection or bacteria and sepsis would mean with bacteria or infection.
• Sterile field
• If you are helping a nurse change a sterile dressing do NOT lean over the dressing. Bacteria and germs from your hair and clothes can fall in the dressing. Dispose of the dirty dressing in a biohazard container. (Red garbage bag)

Autoclave

• This is a steam machine that is used to sterilize equipment and instruments. After it is sterilized the instruments are specially packaged to stay sterile.

When do you use a mask?

• When there are droplets in the air. Such as a patient with chicken pox, TB or flu.
• Isolation
• If a patient is in isolation everything that comes out of the room is dirty. This includes food trays, blood pressure cuffs, garbage. They should be placed in isolation bags.

Faucets and door knobs

• They are dirty, dirty, dirty.
• Yuk, everyone turns them on with their dirty hands.
• Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.
• Wash your hands

Antibiotic resistance

• Antibiotics have been overused so much that bacteria have mutated and are now resistance to antibiotics. In other words there are bacteria that we can’t kill. This leads to nosocomial infections.

In case of fire

• Read the facilities plan for escape. It is usually located at the nurses station. It is best to check this out BEFORE the fire.

Privacy

• Patients have the right to privacy if they choose to masturbate in public they should be moved to a private place.

Oxygen

• You can turn it down. If the order says 3 L and you go in the room and it is 6 L you can turn it down to 3 L. But, you should let the nurse know.

Good body mechanics

• Don’t twist or pivot. Save that for the dance floor.

Aphasia

• Unable to speak or communicate.

Incident forms

• The CNA can fill them out and sign them.

Temperature range

• 95-105

Why do we wash hands?

• To decrease the number of nasty little pathogens living on your grubby little paws.
• It is considered a form of medical asepsis.

Decrease burns

• When you give a patient coffee or soup always remind them that it is HOT!
• Confusion
• Confused patients may not recognize danger. They may go in the street, brush their teeth with a knife….

Wheelchair safety

• The safest position for a wheelchair is with the front wheels in a forward position.

Abdominal Thrust/Heimlich

• Thrust used to remove a foreign object on which a person is choking.

Abduction (in range of motion)

• To move away from the midline of the body.

Adduction (in range of motion)

• To bring closer to the midline of the body.

ADL’s

• Activities of daily living
• These are things a person does every day such as brushing teeth, combing hair, feeding themselves.

Admitting a resident

• The process of admitting a patient/resident to a nursing facility. Includes orienting patient to room, introducing yourself, explaining the daily schedule and routing.

Aging process

• The process of getting older.
• Includes hair turning gray, getting wrinkles, losing muscle tone and bone density.

AIDS

• Acquired Immunodeficiency
• A disease caused by HIV, a blood borne virus that attacks the body’s immune system.

Alzheimer’s

• The most common type of dementia.
• Characterized by the permanent and progressive loss of the ability to think and remember caused by damage to the brain.

Ambulate with assistance

• Helping the patient/resident walk.

Anemia

• Decrease in the ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Angina Pectoris

• The classic chest pain that is felt as a result of the heart muscle being deprived of oxygen.

Anterior

• Forward or front

Antibiotics

• Medications used to fight or kill bacteria

Anxiety

• A feeling of uneasiness, dread, apprehension, or worry.

Apical pulse

• Listening for pulse over apex of heart.
• Place the diaphragm (disk part) of the stethoscope over your heart. Your heart is found in the middle of your chest and toward the left side.

Aphasia

• A general term for a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to communicate with others
• May be expressive (ability to talk) or receptive (ability to understand).

Appropriate Response

• Responding in the correct way.

Arteries

• Large vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Arteriosclerosis

• Hardening of the arteries

Arthritis

• Inflammation of joints, usually associated with pain and stiffness.

Aseptic

• Free of bacteria

Aspiration

• The accidental inhalation of foreign material into the airway

Atrophy

• The loss of muscle size and strength.

Axillary temperature

• Temperature taken under the arm

Bacteria

• A microbe that may cause infection.

Bargaining

• One of the stages of grief. Trying to make a deal.
• Example: a person who is dying tells God they will go to church every day if he heals them

Basic needs

• Things we need to survive such as food, water, shelter, air.

Bed bath

• Bathing a person who is bedridden.

Bedsore

• Decubitus ulcer or pressure sore.
• A sore caused by lying in the same position for too long.

Blood pressure

• The force that blood vessels exert against the artery walls.
• One of the vital signs measured.

Bodily fluids

• Fluids that come out of the body such as: urine, emesis, feces, semen, vaginal secretions, mucous.

Body language

• Non verbal communication.
• Example: rolling eyes, putting hands on hips, shaking your finger.

Body mechanics

• The efficient and safe use of the body.
• Example: bending at the knees to pick up a heavy object.

Bowel and bladder programs

• Training a person who has had a stroke or accident to use the bathroom independently.

Call light

• A system that allows a patient or resident to call for help.
• Usually consists of a control light, a light in the hall and a panel at the nurses station.

Cancer

• The abnormal growth of cells

Cane

• A device used to help a patient ambulate.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• CPR
• Chest compressions and respirations used to keep a persons blood circulating after cardiac arrest.

Cardiovascular system

• The body system that circulates our blood. Heart, arteries, veins.

Care plan

• A plan of care designed by the nurse for the patient.
• Example: a patient with a bedsore should be turned at least once an hour.

Cataracts

• The gradual yellowing and hardening of the lens of the eye.

Catheter drainage bag

• The bag attached to an indwelling catheter that urine is collected in.

Central nervous system

• The brain and spinal cord, responsible for receiving information and processing it.

Cerebral vascular accident

• A stroke

Charge nurse

• The nurse in charge of the unit.

Chart

• The notebook where the patient/resident’s medical records are kept.

Chemotherapy

• The use of medication to destroy malignant cancer cells

Choking

• An airway obstruction

Chronic disease

• An illness that is ongoing and needs to be controlled through continuous medications or treatment.

Circulatory system

• The system that moves blood throughout the body.

Cleaning up of spills

• Cleaning up anything that has spilled on the floor that could lead to a fall.
• Example: juice or urine on the floor that needs to be cleaned up.

Clear liquid diet

• A patient needs to have only clear liquids.
• Example: jello, juices, broth

Clergy

• A spiritual leader

Cold compress

• A cold pack put on a person to decrease pain or swelling.
• Example: an ice pack

Colostomy

• An alternative way of eliminating feces from the large intestine.
• The intestine is pulled out through the abdominal wall and a stoma is formed.

Colostomy bag

• The bag attached to the stoma opening to collect feces.

Combative resident

• A patient who fights or hits at others.

Communication

• The exchange of information

Communication with depressed

• Exchanging information with someone who is depressed.

Resident

• The patient

Compensation

• Being paid or rewarded

Confidentiality

• Keeping personal information private.

Confused resident

• A patient who is unable to remember or recognize his surroundings.

Congestive heart failure

• When the heart is unable to meet the demands of the body.
• The heart is not able to pump enough blood.

Constipation

• When a person has been unable to have a bowel movement.

Constrict blood vessels

• The blood vessels get small.
• Constricted blood vessels may cause poor circulation because the vessels are too small for the blood to pump through.

Contaminated

• Adjective used to describe an object that is soiled by pathogens
• DIRTY
• Example: The linens were contaminated.

Contamination

• Soiled by pathogens.
• Example: We want to prevent contamination of the patients linens.

Contracture

• A condition that occurs when a persons joint is in the same position for too long.
• The tendons shorten and become stiff and they lose function and mobility.

Converting units

• Converting ml’s to cc’s
• Converting Fahrenheit to Celsius.
• Converting pounds to grams

Coping mechanisms

• Conscious and deliberate ways of dealing with stress.
• Example: deep breathing when your stressed are counting to 100

Coughing excessively

• Coughing a whole bunch

CVA resident

• A resident who has had a stroke

Cyanosis

• Blue or gray discoloration of the skin caused by lack of oxygen

Decubitus ulcer

• A pressure sore or bed sore caused by being in the same position for too long.

Dehydration

• Too little fluids in the tissues of the body.

Dementia

• The permanent and progressive loss of the ability to think or remember

Denial

• One of the stages of grief. The person refuses to accept the diagnosis or feels a mistake has been made.

Dentures

• False teeth

Depression

• An alteration in a person’s mood that causes him to lose pleasure in or interest in what is usually pleasurable.

Dermatitis

• Inflammation of the derma (Skin)

Diabetes

• An endocrine disorder that results when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin.

Diabetes mellitus

• Type I diabetes: before age 30
• Or type II diabetes: usually obese adults

Dialysis

• A procedure to remove waste products and fluids from the body when the kidneys fail.

Diaphragm

• The large flat surface of the stethoscope that is used to hear loud, harsh sounds.
• The strong dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and assist in breathing.

Diastolic

• The pressure that the blood exerts against the arterial walls when the heart muscle relaxes; the second blood pressure measurement.

Diet

• The food a person eats
• May have a special diet such as low fat diet, diabetic diet, clear liquid diet.

Dietician

• A person who has a degree in nutrition.

Digestion

• The process of breaking food down into simple elements.

Digestive system

• Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus.

Discharging resident

• Preparing and sending a patient/resident home or to another facility.

Disease producing organisms

• Organisms that cause disease
• Example: bacteria, viruses, funguses like strep, staph, HIV

Disinfectants

• The use of strong chemicals to kill pathogens on non-living objects that come in contact with body fluids or substances, such as bed pans, urinals, and over-bed tables.

Dizziness

• Feeling light headed, the room may feel like it is spinning.

DNR

• Do Not Resuscitate
• An order stating that a person’s wishes say that they do not want unusual efforts to save their lives.
• NO CPR

Documentation

• Things that are written in a chart to make a record of the patient or residents care.

Draw/lift sheet

• A small flat sheet that is placed in the middle of the bottom sheet covering the area of the bed from above the person’s shoulders to below the buttocks.

Dressing resident

• Assisting the resident to put on their clothes.

Dry skin

• Skin that has decreased moisture

Dying process

• The end of life. Things that happen as a person is dying
• Example: decreased respirations, decreased level of consciousness

Dysphagia

• Difficulty swallowing

Dyspnea

• Labored or difficulty breathing

Dysuria

• Difficulty or painful urination.

Edema

• Too much fluid in the bodies tissues

Elastic stockings

• TED hose or anti embolism stockings that are put on the patient to prevent blood clots and improve circulation.

Electrical equipment

• Equipment that is plugged into electricity.
• Example: the bed, coffee pot, blood pressure machine.

Elimination of wastes

• Eliminating waste from body through urine and feces.

Emesis basin

• A basin for patients to vomit in.

Emotional abuse

• Being verbally mean to a patient or resident.

Dialysis

• Dialysis is a method of removing toxic substances (impurities or wastes) from the blood when the kidneys are unable to do so. Dialysis is most frequently used for patients who have kidney failure, but may also be used to quickly remove drugs or poisons in acute situations. This technique can be life saving in people with acute or chronic kidney failure.

Diarrhea

• Diarrhea or diarrhoea a condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements

Disoriented resident

• A resident who is confused

Emotional Labiality

• refers to the pathological expression of laughter, crying, or smiling.
• Patients with dementia may go from laughing to crying without any apparent cause.

Emotional needs

• People need to feel a sense of belonging and self worth.

Empathetic

• Cognizant of and comprehending the needs, feelings, problems, and views of others

Empathy

• is commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and directly experientially feel the emotion of another.

Emphysema

• Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue; destruction of structures supporting the alveoli; and destruction of capillaries feeding the alveoli. The result is that the small airways collapse during expiration, leading to an obstructive form of lung disease
• Symptoms include: shortness of breath on exertion--typically when climbing stairs or inclines (and later at rest), hyperventilation and an expanded chest.
• As emphysema progresses, clubbing of the fingers may be observed, a feature of longstanding hypoxia.

Enema

• Introduction of fluid into the large intestine to empty the intestines.

Endocrine System

• The endocrine system is made up of glands that produce and secrete hormones. These hormones regulate the body’s growth, metabolism (the physical and chemical processes of the body), and sexual development and function. The hormones are released into the bloodstream and may affect one or several organs throughout the body.

Ethical Code

• Acting in a moral and right way. Doing no harm to others.

Ethics

• Acting in an ethical way and doing no harm to others.
• Ethical issues in health care: end of life, abortion, stem cell research.

Extremity

• an external body part that projects from the body

Eye glasses

• Glasses worn to improve vision

Evacuation

• Moving residents/patients to a safe area.
• If there is a fire you would evacuate your patients.

Exercise

• Activity to strengthen muscle and increase endurance

Falls

• Patient falling.

Fatigue

• Feeling tired

Fecal impaction

• An immovable collection of compressed or hardened feces in the colon or rectum.
  
  

Feeding resident

• Assisting a patient/resident to eat

Feeding tube

• A tube through which food can be administered.
• They can be placed in a variety of locations.

Fire safety procedures

• R: rescue
• A: alarm
• C: confine
• E: extinguish

Flexed/flexion

• To bend (something pliant or elastic)

Fluid intake

• Amount of fluid a person takes in.
• Should be recorded every shift.

Foley catheter

• An indwelling catheter

Foot board

• A board placed at the end of the bed to prevent foot drop

Foot care

• Caring for feet.
• Included cleaning, drying and applying lotion, making sure shoes fit properly.

Foot drop

• A weakness of muscles that are involved in flexing the ankle and toes.
  
  

Fowlers position

• is a position where the head is raised above the feet

Fractures

• Breaks in bones

Frequent urination

• Peeing lots! A patient with frequent urination may wet the bed.

Gait belt

• Provides a secure way to steady or guide patients when transferring or

Gastrostomy tube

• This is an insertion of a feeding tube into the stomach

Geriatrics

• is the branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life

Gerontology

• is the study of the elderly, and of the aging process itself

Germ transmission

• Spreading germs from one person or area to another.
• This can be prevented by washing your hands.

Gloves

• A personal protection device used to keep germs and body fluids off of workers hands.

Grand Mal

• A seizure that involves tonic clonic activity. Relaxing and tightening of the muscles that causes jerking.

Grieving process

• The process people go through after a loss

Group setting

• Doing things in groups of people.
• Patients in the dining room eat in a group setting.

Hair care

• Caring for hair, includes washing, brushing, braiding.

Hallucination

• A hallucination is a sensory perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus.
• Hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality - visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile

Hand tremors

• When hands shake. May be associated with Parkinson's.

Hazardous substance

• A substance that may be harmful such as blood, body secretions or chemicals.

Health care team

• The team that takes care of the resident/patient
• Includes doctors, nurses, aide, PT, OT, speech, social work and others.

Hearing aid

• A device to make sound louder so those with hearing impairment can hear.

Hearing impaired

• Hard of hearing

Heart attack

• A myocardial infarction.
• The heart is damaged from lack of blood supply.

Heart muscle

• The heart is a muscle.
• When a person has a heart attack the heart muscle is damaged.

Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis

• is a condition where a vertical half of a patient's body is weak or paralyzed,
• i.e. one arm and its corresponding leg do not function properly.

Hepatitis B

• Blood born hepatitis which causes a viral infection of the liver.

Hereditary

• is the transfer of characteristics from parent to offspring
• Some diseases are hereditary.

Hip prosthesis

• A hip that has been surgically replaced.

HIPAA

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996.
• Assures privacy for patients.

Huntington’s disease

• Huntington's disease (HD) results from genetically programmed degeneration of brain cells, called neurons, in certain areas of the brain.

Hypertension

• High blood pressure

Hyperventilation

• Breathing too fast

Hypoglycemia

• Blood sugar is too low

Hydration

• Adequate fluid intake.
• Sentence: the patient needs to drink so they have good hydration.
• A person who is not hydrated is dehydrated.

Immobility

• The inability to move

Ice pack

• A bag of ice used to decrease swelling.
• Ice packs should never be put directly on the patient. There should be a towel between skin and ice.

Incontinence

• Loss of control of bowel and bladder.

Indwelling catheter

• A foley catheter.
• A catheter with a balloon that is put in the patients bladder to keep the urine draining.

Infection

• An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species
• Enough bacteria or virus builds up to make a person sick

In house transfer

• A resident/patient is moved from one room to another in the same facility.

In service

• A teaching service at work. In services may be part of staff meetings.

Initial Observations

• What you observe in a patient the first time you see them.
• If you walk in the room and the patient is lying on the floor then your initial observation would be patient is lying on floor.

Input and Output

• What goes in the patient such as water and food.
• What comes out of the patient such as urine and vomit.
• Input and output are recorded every shift.

Insulin

• A hormone secreted by the pancreas. Given by injection to patients with diabetes.

Integumentary system

• consisting of the skin, hair and nails

Interpersonal skills

• The skills needed to communicate and interact with others.
• Includes verbal and nonverbal communication.

Isolation

• When a person with an infection is kept separate from others.

Ischemia

• Loss of blood flow to an organ or tissue.
• A stroke is ischemia to the brain.
• A heart attack is ischemia to the heart.
• Pressure sores are caused by ischemia to the skin.

Job description

• The list of what you are required to do in your job.

Job interview

• Meeting where you are asked questions by an employer.

Linen

• Sheets, pillow cases, blankets

Low sodium diet

• A diet low in salt. Used for patients with heart problems and hypertension

Lethargy

• Lack of energy. Sleep like state.

Making an occupied bed

• Making a bed with a person in it.

Mask

• A person protection device used to protect face and nose.
• You should wear a mask if working with a patient with TB or chicken pox because they are airborne.

Measuring height

• Measuring to see how tall a person is

Mechanical soft diet

• is used for patients who have limited chewing or swallowing mobility but are able to tolerate a greater variety and texture of foods.

Medications

• Medicines given to a resident.
• May be prescription or over the counter.

Mentally impaired

• A resident who is confused due to memory loss or mental retardation.

Military time

Minerals

• Dietary needs such as iron, magnesium, sodium and potassium.

Mistreatment

• Treating someone wrong or badly.

Morning care

• Brushing teeth, combing hair, getting dressed.
• Things that must be done when helping a resident in the morning. Also called AM care.

Mouth care

• Brushing teeth, wiping mouth, moisture for lips.
• Oral care should be done morning and night and every two hours on an unconscious person.

Mucous membrane

• are tissues that line body cavities or canals such as the throat, nose, mouth, urethra, ...
  
  
  

Mucous

• Secretion from nose or other mucous membrane.

Multiple sclerosis

• A degenerative disease of the nerves caused by demylination.

Musculoskeletal system

• consists of the skeletal system -- bones and joints

Nail care

• Cleaning under a patients nails. Filing nails. We do not cut a patients toe nails!

Nasal cannula

• A tube to administer oxygen through a patients nose.

Neglect

• Failing to take care of a resident.
• Not doing your job.

Needles

• Sharp objects used to give injections.

Non contagious disease

• Diseases that cannot be spread from one person to another.
• Ex: cancer, diabetes, MS, appendicitis.

NPO

• Nothing by mouth

Nursing assistant behavior

• How the nursing assistant acts.
• Should be polite, respect confidentiality, get along with coworkers.

Nursing assistant’s role

• The nursing assistant is to assist the nurse in caring for the resident.

Nutrition

• Food intake

Objective

• Information that can be obtained from observation.
• Objective data would include vital signs, skin color or sweating.

Observation

• Something you see or watch.
• You observe that the patient is lying on the floor or eating dinner.

Ombudsman

• A liaison for patients/residents in nursing homes.
• Observes the care and talks with residents works to resolve problems.

Oral care

• Mouth care

Oral hygiene

• Keeping the mouth clean by brushing teeth or swabbing teeth and mouth. Making sure lips are moist.
• Should be done every two hours on an unconscious person.

Oral temperature

• Taking a temperature in a persons mouth

Orientation

• Is aware of surroundings.
• Person, place and time.

Osteoarthritis.

• degenerative arthritis is a joint disease caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartilage of one or more joints

Osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis is a generalized, progressive loss of bone density causing skeletal weakness.

Ostomy bag

• Bag to collect feces from ostomy.

Over the bed table

• A bed side table that can go over the bed so the patient can eat or write on it.

Oxygen

• A chemical element consisting of eight protons, eight neutrons and eight electrons. Two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom to form a molecule of water
• What we need to breath!

Pain

• An unpleasant sensation

Paralysis

• Inability to move due to disease or injury

Paranoia

• Believing others are out to get you or do you harm.

Podiatrist

• A foot doctor

Psychiatrist

• A doctor that provides psychiatric care.

Paraphrasing

• means rephrasing someone else’s words.
• The patient says, “I’m very sad and I want to die”
• You say, “You are feeling very upset and hopeless”

Parenteral nutrition

• is the practice of feeding a person intravenously

Parkinson’s disease

Partial Assistance

• Helping a patient who can do something's for themselves.

Passive

• lacking in energy or will
• Passive ROM: you would do range of motion for the patient.

Pathogens

• Organisms that cause infection

Patience

• good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

Perineal care

• Cleaning a person’s genitals and rectal area.

Peripheral vascular disease

Peristalsis

• Contractions of the muscles in the intestine and GI tract that moves food forward.

Personal Care

• ADL’s Activities of daily living such as hygiene, brushing teeth, going to the bathroom.

Personal possessions

• Things that belong to the patient

Phantom pain

• Pain in amputated limb.

Physical needs

• Breathing, cleanliness, food, elimination.
• Thing that are not emotional needs.

Physician’s authority

• By authority of the MD

Pill Rolling

• When present, a ‘pill rolling’. tremor at rest involves the thumb and index finger
• Common in Parkinson's

Plaque

• A small growth in arteries, or teeth.
• Arterial plaque
• Dental plaque

Plate rim

Post mortem care

• Caring for someone who has died

Privacy

• the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others

PRN

• As needed

Progressive

• Continuous
• A progressive disease is one that progresses or gets worse.

Prone

• is a position of the body lying face down.

Prosthesis

• An artificial body part

Protective equipment

• Supplies to keep you from getting contaminated like gloves and mask

Providing privacy

• Includes closing doors and curtains, keeping a patient covered in the halls.

Psychological needs

• Non-physical needs such as belonging, love and self esteem

Pulmonary disease

• Diseases of the lungs

Pulse

• A vital sign where a person’s heart beat is measured by feeling an artery.

Quadriplegia

• Paralysis from the neck down

Radial

Ramps

• Wheelchair ramps are used to allow a chair to be moved up an area instead of stairs.

Range of motion

• Moving joints through their maximum movements

Rectal temperature

• A temperature taken in the rectum. (Bum)

Rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation means the restoration of, or improvement in

reminiscing

• To recollect and tell of past experiences or events.

Reporting abnormal changes

• Telling the nurse if the patient has a problem. The vital signs have changed or the patient is not acting right.

Reporting observations

• Telling the nurse what you see.

Reposition residents

• Moving the resident in bed or in a chair.

Resident independence

• Allowing the patient to do as much for themselves as they can.

Resident rights

• Right to respect, privacy, dignity….

Residents chart

• A chart where patients medical records are kept

Resident’s family

• Family members of resident

Respectful treatment

• Treating someone with dignity

respirations

• The number of time a person breaths in one minute

Respiratory condition

• The condition of a person’s ability to breath

Right to refuse care

• Patient’s/residents have the right to say no.

Responding to residents behavior

• How you react to a residents actions.
• If a patient hits you, you do not hit them back

Restorative care

• is a planned, systematic program that focuses on helping each client obtain and maintain the highest level of function.

Restrained resident

• A patients whose mobility is limited by restraints

restraints

• Confining a person with physical or chemical restraints.
• Drugs or tying someone down.

resuscitation

• CPR

Right to refuse care

• Patients have the right to say NO to treatment

Safety and security needs

• Things to keep a patient safe and secure like not letting Alzheimer’s patient wander, keeping night lights in room
• Helping a resident feel comfortable and like they belong

scale

• A device to weigh someone

security

• Keeping people safe.
• Lights in parking lots, locks on doors.

seizure

• A sudden intense firing of neurons in the brain that causes tonic clonic movement.

Self actualization

Self esteem

• psychology, self-esteem or self-worth is a person's self-image at an emotional level;

Sensory system

• The five senses
• Smelling
• Tasting
• Feeling
• Seeing

Hearing

Sexual needs

• Need for physical contact

spills

• Water, urine or other liquid substance on the floor.

Sitz bath

• A basin a patient can sit in to clean perineal care.

Sharps container

• Container for used needles

shaving

• Removing hair with a razor

Shearing of skin

• Dragging or sliding a patient across the bed sheets,

Side rails

• Rails on side of bed

Simple fracture

• A broken bone in one spot that does not come out of skin

Skin breakdown

• Pressure sore, or ulcer

sleep

• A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost,
  
  

smoking

• Inhaling tobacco

Social needs

• Need to be with others.

Social well being

• Interacting and being around others

Soiled linen

• Dirty sheets, blankets and pillow cases

Specimen

• A sample needed for the lab.
• Example: urine specimen, blood specimen

Spiritual needs

• Religious or personal belief needs.
• Need for prayer, visit by religious clergy

Sputum test

• Test for lab. Sputum is what you cough up from lungs.

Standard precautions

• Universal precautions: treating all people like they have an infectious disease and always using gloves.

sterilization

• Sterilizing instruments so that all bacteria is killed. Usually with heat.

Stealing

• Taking something that does not belong to you.

Stool specimen

• Specimen of feces for lab test.

Stress

• A physical or emotional factor that change the body’s normal balance or equilibrium

Stroke

• A disorder that occurs when a the blood flow to part of the brain is obstructed causing the tissue in the brain to die.

Strong side

• The side of the body that is not affected by weakness

Subjective

• Information that cannot be objectively measured. The patient has to tell you how much pain they are in or if they are sad. You cannot look at a person and measure their feelings.

Sun downing

• The worsening of behavioral symptoms in the afternoon or evening when the sun goes down in a person with dementia.

supine

• Lying on back with head supported on a pillow.

suicide

• Taking your own life

Supplemental feedings

• Extra feedings like ensure given to a patient who needs extra calories.

swelling

• Inflammation in tissue of body.
• A person with a sprained ankle will have swelling.

systolic

• The pressure of the blood on the arteries when the vessels are contracted.

tachycardia

• A rapid heart rate

TED hose

• Anti embolitic stockings put on a patient to prevent blood clots and improve circulation.

Tendons

• Bands of connective tissue that connect skeletal muscles to bones

Terminal illness

• Illness that results in death

TIA

• Transient Ischemic Attack
• mini stroke

Thrombus

• A blood clot

tips

• The bottom of a cane or walker

TPR

• Temperature

Pulse

Respirations

Trachea

• The passage that carries air from the larynx to the lungs called the windpipe.

tracheosotomy

• An artificial opening to the trachea to allow a person to breath.

transferring

• Moving a patient from one area to another.
• From a bed to a chair

Transporting food

• Moving food from one area to another.
• Food must be covered.

Treating residents with respect

• Being courteous and treating people like you would want to be treated.

Tub bath

• Bathing in a bath tub

Tube feeding

• Feeding through a tube in nose or stomach.

tuberculosis

• A bacterial infection that usually affects lungs but can affect other body parts. Is spread through the air, coughing, laughing, sneezing.

Twice daily

• Two times a day

Tympanic temperature

• Temperature taken in the ear

Unaffected side

• The side that is not weak or has not been affected by a stroke or disease.

Unconscious resident

• a resident who is not awake and cannot care for self.

uniform

• scrubs

unsteady

• Unbalanced, falls easily.

Urinary catheter bag

• The bag that is attached to a foley or indwelling catheter and collects urine.

Urinary system

• Kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra

urination

• Voiding urine

Urine filter/strainer

• A small cup or container with filter to strain urine to look for kidney stones.

Varicose veins

• Pooling of blood in the veins just underneath the skin.

Ventilation

• breathing

Visually impaired

• Unable to see

Vital signs

• Key measurements of a person health:
• Blood pressure, pulse, respirations, temperature

Vomiting

• Throwing up, emesis, spewing, upchucking, hurling

walker

• A device with four legs used to help a patient be steady while walking

wandering

• A patient who walks aimlessly, usually with Alzheimer's

Warm and cold applications

• Using heat or cold to improve circulation or decrease swelling.

Weak side

• The side that is not strong

Weighing resident

• Putting a patient on a scale to see how much they weigh

Weak side

• The side that is not wrong. Usually in a stroke patient

Wheelchair safety

• Putting brakes on a wheelchair.

White blood cells

• Cells in the blood that fight infection.

Lou Gehrigs Disease

• ALS
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles

Anxiety

• A vague uneasy feeling

amputation

• Surgical or traumatic removal of an extremity.

Angina pectoris

• Transient chest pain

aphasia

• Difficulty speaking

asthma

• Narrowing of the airways which causes difficulty breathing

bedsore

• Pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcer caused by laying or sitting in the same position for too long

Bipolar disorder

• Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe.

bronchitis

• Inflammation of the bronchi

cancer

• Abnormal growth of cells

cataract

• Clouding of the eyes lens

Cerebral palsy

• The term cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination but don’t worsen over time

colostomy

• Surgical opening of the large intestine

Congestive heart failure

• The heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the demands of the body.

Coronary artery disease

• Obstruction of blood flow in the coronary arteries.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• emphysema

cystitis

• Inflammation or infection of the bladder

dementia

• Confusion and memory loss such as Alzheimer’s

depression

• Alteration in a person’s mood that causes him to lose please or interest in things that are usually pleasurable.

diabetes

• An endocrine disorder that results when the pancreas is unable to make enough insulin

Down syndrome

• A developmental disability that is the result of having 47 chromosomes instead of 46. People have mental retardation and physical characteristics.

dysphagia

• Difficulty swallowing

dyspnea

• Difficulty breathings

epilepsy

• Seizure disorder

emphysema

• Disorder of the alveoli in the lungs.
• COPD

Glaucoma

• Build up of pressure in eye due to excessive fluid.

Hepatitis

• Viral infection of the liver

hypothyroidism

• Too little thyroid function

hyperthyroidism

• Too much thyroid function.

Kidney stones

• A painful disorder caused by a build up of minerals in the kidneys.

malignant

• Adjective used to describe a cancerous tumor

menopause

• The cessation of menstuation and fertility that women typically experience in their early 50’s

Obsessive compulsive disorder

• An anxiety disorder that causes a person to suffer intensely from recurrent unwanted thoughts that are usually associated with rituals.

Panic disorder

• A mental health disorder where a person experiences episodes of sudden overpowering fright and anxiety.

pediculosis

• lice

pneumonia

• Inflammation of the lungs

Rheumatoid arthritis

• Inflammation of the joints.
• Involves more than one joint.
• May affect multiple body systems.

SAD

• Seasonal affective disorder
• Depression that occurs during winter months.

shingles

• Herpes zoster
• occurs after chicken pox
• Causes blisters, usually follows a nerve pattern

Stasis leg ulcer

• Leg ulcer caused by poor circulation

syphilis

• Bacterial sexually transmitted disease

vertigo

• dizziness

Whooping cough

• Pertusis
• Bacterial infection that causes serious cough

Yeast infection

• Overgrowth of yeast in the vagina