Abdominal Thrusts: A procedure to help dislodge an object from the airway of someone who is choking.
Abuse: Any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.
Acceptance: Acknowledging the reality of a situation without attempting to change it or protest.
Accidents: Unplanned events that result in injury or damage.
Activities: Tasks or actions that are performed as part of daily living.
Acute: Describes a condition that has a rapid onset and a short course.
Adduction: Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body.
ADL (Activities of Daily Living): Everyday activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, and walking.
Admission: The process of checking a patient into a healthcare facility.
Admitting Resident: A resident who is being checked into a healthcare facility.
Affected Side: The side of the body that is impacted by a medical condition or disability.
Aging Process: The natural developments that occur in the body as a person gets older.
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome): A disease caused by the HIV virus that attacks the immune system.
Alarms: Devices used to alert healthcare providers of potential problems or emergencies.
Alzheimer’s: A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.
Ambulation: The act of walking.
Amputees: Individuals who have had one or more limbs removed.
Anemia: A condition where there is a lack of healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues.
Anger: A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.
Angina Pectoris: Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles.
Anorexia: An eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of body weight.
Anterior: Located near the front of the body.
Antibiotics: Medications used to treat bacterial infections.
Aphasia: An impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write.
Apical: Pertaining to the apex or tip of a structure, such as the heart.
Appropriate Response: An action or verbal reply that is suitable for the situation.
Arteries: Blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body.
Arteriosclerosis: Thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, often limiting blood flow to organs and tissues.
Arthritis: Inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness.
Aseptic: Free from contamination caused by harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms.
Aspiration: The act of inhaling fluid, food, or other substances into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia or other infections.
Assistive Device: Equipment used to assist a patient, such as walkers, canes, or wheelchairs.
Atrophy: The gradual loss of muscle or tissue mass.
Attitudes: A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically reflected in a person’s behavior.
Axillary Temperature: Body temperature measured under the arm.
Bacteria: Microorganisms that can cause disease.
Bargaining: The negotiation of terms in a dispute or agreement.
Basic Needs: Fundamental requirements necessary to sustain life, such as food, water, shelter, and safety.
Bath Water Temperature: The heat level of water used for bathing, important for patient comfort and safety.
Bathing: The act of washing the body to maintain hygiene and cleanliness.
Bathing Resident: Assisting a resident with the washing of their body in a healthcare setting.
Bed Height: The level at which a bed is set, important for safety and ergonomics.
Bed Position: The alignment or arrangement of a bed for therapeutic purposes.
Bedrest: A medical treatment that involves staying in bed for most of the day to promote healing.
Biohazard: Biological substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms.
Bladder Training: A program that helps manage urinary incontinence by training the patient to urinate at specific times.
Blindness: The inability to see.
Blood Pressure: The force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood.
Blood Pressure Reading: The measurement of systolic and diastolic pressure during heartbeats.
Bodily Fluids: Liquids that originate inside the body, such as blood, urine, and saliva.
Body Alignment: The position of one body part in relation to others to maintain a good posture.
Body Fluids: Liquids produced by the body including blood, urine, sweat, and saliva.
Body Language: Nonverbal communication through gestures, posture, and facial expressions.
Body Mechanics: Using the body in an efficient and safe manner to prevent injury.
Body Temperature: The degree of heat maintained by the body.
Glossary for Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) Continued
Bowel Program: A plan to help manage bowel movements and prevent constipation or incontinence.
Bradycardia: A slower than normal heart rate, typically fewer than 60 beats per minute in adults.
Breathing Rate: The number of breaths a person takes per minute.
Burnout: A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in emotionally demanding situations.
Call Light: A device that allows patients to alert healthcare staff when they need assistance.
Cancer: A disease characterized by the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.
Candidiasis: A fungal infection caused by yeasts that belong to the genus Candida.
Cannula: A tube that can be inserted into the body, often for the delivery or removal of fluid.
Capacity: The maximum amount that something can contain or the ability to perform a task.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): An emergency procedure consisting of chest compressions and artificial ventilation to maintain circulatory flow and oxygenation during cardiac arrest.
Care Impaired: Care provided to patients who have reduced physical or mental abilities.
Care Plan: A plan developed by healthcare providers that outlines the care to be given to a patient.
Caregiver: A person who gives care to people who need help in daily living.
Cataract: A clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision.
Catheter: A tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel to allow for drainage, administration of fluids, or access by surgical instruments.
Catheter Care: The practice of monitoring and cleaning a catheter to ensure it functions properly and does not cause infections.
Catheterize: To insert a catheter into a bodily cavity.
Cavity: A hollow space within the body or one of its organs.
Central Nervous System (CNS): The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.
Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA): Also known as a stroke, it occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients.
Chain of Infection: A series of steps that allow pathogens to spread and infect another person.
Chemotherapy: A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.
Choking: The blockage of the upper airway by food or other objects, which prevents a person from breathing effectively.
Chronic: Referring to a health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects.
Circulation: The continuous movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels, delivering oxygen and nutrients to and removing waste products from tissues.
Circulatory System: The system that circulates blood through the body, consisting of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.
Clean Technique: A method used to reduce the number of microorganisms and prevent the spread of infection that is less strict than sterile technique.
Cognition: The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Cognitive Impairment: Difficulty with cognitive function that may include memory problems, trouble focusing, and difficulty making decisions.
Colostomy: A surgical operation that creates an opening from the colon to the surface of the abdomen to enable the discharge of waste.
Communication: The act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic rules.
Compassion: The emotional response to perceiving suffering and involves an authentic desire to help.
Competency: The ability to do something successfully or efficiently.
Complaint: A statement that something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.
Compression: The act of pressing together, as in the cardiovascular system or in applying a bandage.
Confidentiality: The ethical principle or legal right that a physician or other health professional will hold secret all information relating to a patient, unless the patient gives consent permitting disclosure.
Confusion: A mental state characterized by a lack of clear and orderly thought and behavior.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): A chronic condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should.
Constipation: A condition in which there is difficulty in emptying the bowels, usually associated with hardened feces.
Contamination: The presence of an unwanted constituent, contaminant or impurity in a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace, etc.
Contracture: The permanent tightening of muscles, tendons, ligaments, or skin that prevents normal movement of the associated body part.
Conversion: A change in which something becomes something else, as in converting measurements from one unit to another.
Coping Mechanisms: Strategies people often use in the face of stress and/or trauma to help manage painful or difficult emotions.
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): A life-saving technique used in medical emergencies, including heart attack or near drowning, in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
Cultural Diversity: The existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society.
Culture: The social behavior and norms found in human societies as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.
Cyanosis: A bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood.
Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder, often from a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Deafness: A significant or total loss of hearing.
Death and Dying: Processes at the end of life that include both the physiological and the emotional aspects of the individual’s experience.
Decubitus Ulcer: Pressure sores or bedsores, which are injuries to skin and underlying tissue resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin.
Dehydration: A condition that results when the body loses more water than it takes in.
Defecation: The discharge of feces from the body through the rectum.
Delegation: The assignment of authority and responsibility to another person to carry out specific activities.
Delirium: A serious disturbance in mental abilities that results in confused thinking and reduced awareness of the environment.
Dementia: A broad category of brain diseases that cause a long-term and often gradual decrease in the ability to think and remember, affecting daily functioning.
Depression: A common but serious mood disorder that causes severe symptoms affecting how you feel, think, and handle daily activities.
Developmental Disability: A diverse group of chronic conditions due to mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood.
Diabetes: A group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose).
Diagnosis: The identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon, often through the process of examination and assessment.
Dialysis: A treatment that does the work of healthy kidneys when someone has kidney failure, removing waste, salt, and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body.
Diet: The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Digestive System: The system by which ingested food is acted upon by physical and chemical means to provide the body with absorbable nutrients and to excrete waste products.
Direct Contact: A way diseases can spread through touching the patient or their secretions directly.
Disability: A physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.
Discharge Planning: A process used to decide what a patient needs for a smooth move from one level of care to another.
Disease: A particular abnormal, pathological condition that affects part or all of an organism.
Disinfection: The process of cleaning something, especially with a chemical, to destroy bacteria.
Disorientation: A state of confusion regarding time, place, or identity.
Diuretics: Medications designed to increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine.
DNR (Do Not Resuscitate): A legal order to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) in case of cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Documentation: The act of creating citations to identify resources used in writing work and the material (such as a report) prepared as a result of the documentation process.
Dorsiflexion: Bending backward (extension) of the hand or foot.
Dressing: A covering placed on a wound to promote healing and protect from further harm.
Droplets: Tiny drops of fluid, often a way diseases can spread if a person comes into contact with the droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze.
Edema: Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body’s tissues.
Elimination: The process of expelling wastes from the body.
Embolus: A blood clot, air bubble, piece of fatty deposit, or other object that has been carried in the bloodstream to lodge in a vessel and cause an embolism.
Emotional Support: The way one individual offers support, encouragement, and reassurance to another in a manner that is emotionally uplifting.
Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
End-of-Life Care: Support and medical care given during the time surrounding death.
Enema: A procedure where liquid or gas is injected into the rectum, typically to expel its contents, but also used to introduce drugs or permit X-ray imaging.
Epilepsy: A neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Ethics: Moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity, especially in the medical field.
Evaluation: The process of critically examining, analyzing, and assessing the progress and outcome of a patient’s condition and the effectiveness of care provided.
Excretion: The process of eliminating or expelling waste matter from the body, mainly carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin.
Exercise: Any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.
Expiration: The process of exhaling air out of the lungs; also refers to the end of a medical prescription or document’s validity.
Extension: A movement that increases the angle between body parts; the opposite of flexion.
External Rotation: Rotation away from the center of the body.
Extremities: The limbs or appendages of the body, such as arms and legs.
Falls: Instances of accidentally coming to rest on the ground, floor, or other lower level, often a risk for injury in patients with mobility or balance issues.
Fecal Impaction: A solid, immovable bulk of stool that can develop in the rectum as a result of chronic constipation.
Feeding: The act of helping or enabling someone to eat food.
Fever: A temporary increase in body temperature, often due to illness.
Fibrosis: The thickening and scarring of connective tissue, usually as a result of injury.
Flexion: A movement that decreases the angle between body parts; the opposite of extension.
Fluid Intake: The amount of fluid consumed, important to monitor in patients with certain health conditions.
Fluid Restriction: A limit on the amount of fluid a patient is allowed to consume, often prescribed for conditions like kidney failure or heart disease.
Foley Catheter: A flexible tube passed through the urethra and into the bladder to drain urine, left in place over a period of time.
Foot Drop: A difficulty in lifting the front part of the foot, which can cause the foot to drag when walking.
Fracture: A break, usually in a bone.
Friction: The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, a contributing factor in the formation of pressure ulcers.
Gait: The manner of walking.
Gastrointestinal System: The digestive tract and its accessory organs, involved in digesting food and absorbing nutrients.
Gastrostomy: An opening into the stomach from the abdominal wall, made surgically for the introduction of food.
Geriatrics: The branch of medicine or social science dealing with the health and care of older adults.
Glaucoma: A condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing gradual loss of sight.
Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates.
Grief: A deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone’s death.
Guardian: A person who is legally appointed to manage and make decisions about the personal and property interests of another person, such as an incapacitated adult.
Halitosis: Technical term for bad breath.
Hand Hygiene: The act of cleaning hands for the purpose of removing soil, dirt, and microorganisms.
Healthcare Proxy: A document that allows an individual to appoint another person to make healthcare decisions if they are incapable of making their decisions.
Heart Rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, typically expressed as beats per minute (bpm).
Hearing Aid: A device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss.
Hearing Impaired: A condition in which a person’s ability to detect certain frequencies of sound is diminished.
Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body, usually due to a brain injury like a stroke.
Hemorrhage: Excessive or uncontrolled bleeding.
Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, commonly caused by a viral infection.
High Blood Pressure: A condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high, also known as hypertension.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): Legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information in the United States.
Homeostasis: The tendency of the body to maintain a stable, balanced internal environment.
Hospice Care: A type of care and philosophy of care that focuses on the palliation of a chronically ill, terminally ill, or seriously ill patient’s pain and symptoms, and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs.
Hydration: The process of providing an adequate amount of liquid to bodily tissues.
Hyperglycemia: High blood sugar, a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma.
Hypertension: High blood pressure, a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high.
Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar, a condition that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose) is too low.
Hypothermia: A medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature.
I&O (Intake and Output): A record that notes all fluids taken in by mouth and all body fluids lost, including urine, feces, vomitus, and wound drainage.
Id: In Freudian psychoanalysis, the part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest.
Immune System: The body’s defense system against infections and diseases.
Incontinence: The loss of control over the bladder or bowels.
Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are not normally present within the body.
Infection Control: The discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection.
Inflammation: A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
Informed Consent: A process for getting permission before conducting a healthcare intervention on a person, or for disclosing personal information.
Inhalation: The act of taking air and other substances into the lungs.
Insulin: A hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood.
Intake: The amount of food, drink, or medication taken into the body.
Integumentary System: Comprises the skin and its appendages acting to protect the body from various kinds of damage, such as loss of water or abrasion from outside.
Intermittent Catheter: A catheter, typically used for short periods, to drain the bladder for individuals with bladder dysfunction.
Interpersonal Skills: Skills used by a person to interact with others properly.
Intervention: Any action taken to improve health or alter the course of a disease.
Intramuscular Injection (IM): A method of injecting medication directly into the muscle.
Intravenous (IV): Happening within or entering via the veins.
Intubation: Insertion of a tube into an individual’s trachea to maintain an open airway, especially during surgery or critical illness.
Isolation: The process or policy of separating a person or people who are believed to be infected with a contagious disease to prevent the spread of the disease.
IV Care: Care related to the maintenance and monitoring of intravenous (IV) lines, including the administration of IV fluids and medications.
Jaundice: A medical condition with yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, arising from excess bilirubin and typically caused by obstruction of the bile duct, liver disease, or excessive breakdown of red blood cells.
Joint Mobility: The range of movement available at a joint, often assessed in physical therapy to determine the extent of damage or arthritis.
Joint Replacement: A surgical procedure in which parts of an arthritic or damaged joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic, or ceramic device called a prosthesis, which is designed to replicate the movement of a normal, healthy joint.
Kegel Exercises: Pelvic floor exercises that involve repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor, usually done to improve urinary incontinence and sexual health.
Kidney Failure: A condition in which the kidneys lose the ability to remove waste and balance fluids. It can be acute (sudden) or chronic (progressive over time).
Kidney Stones: Hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys, often causing pain when passing through the urinary tract.
Kinesiology: The study of human or non-human body movement, including physiological, biomechanical, and psychological dynamic principles and mechanisms of movement.
Kyphosis: A forward rounding of the back. Some rounding is normal, but the term “kyphosis” usually refers to an exaggerated rounding, more than 50 degrees. This deformity is also called “hunchback” or “dowager’s hump.”
Laceration: A deep cut or tear in the skin or flesh. Lacerations can be a result of accidents with knives, tools, or machinery.
Lactation: The secretion of milk by the mammary glands, which occurs following pregnancy and childbirth to provide nutrition to the newborn.
Laparoscopic Surgery: A type of minimally invasive surgery performed in the abdomen or pelvis through small incisions with the aid of a camera.
Larynx: Commonly known as the voice box, it is located in the throat and is responsible for producing vocal sounds and acting as a passageway for air.
Laxatives: Substances taken to stimulate bowel movements, often used to treat constipation.
Learning Disability: A neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information, which can affect a person’s ability to speak, listen, read, write, or do math.
Legionnaires’ Disease: A severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It is acquired from a contaminated water supply or cooling system.
Leukemia: A type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.
Lice: Parasitic insects that can infest the head, body, and pubic area. They feed on human blood and cause itching and red marks.
Lifestyle Disease: Non-communicable diseases to a degree caused by lifestyle factors such as diet, behavior, and environment, including heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Lipid: A group of organic compounds including fats, oils, hormones, and certain components of membranes that are grouped together because they do not mix well with water.
Liver: A large vital organ in the body that performs many important tasks including detoxification, protein synthesis, and the production of biochemicals necessary for digestion.
Living Will: A written document that allows a patient to give explicit instructions about medical treatment to be administered when they are terminally ill or unable to communicate decisions.
Lobe: A distinct part of an organ separated by boundaries. Example: lobes of the brain, liver, or lungs.
Lumbar Support: Support provided to the lower back area, often used as a preventive or corrective measure for back pain challenges.
Lymph: A clear fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying cells that help fight infection and disease.
Lymph Nodes: Small, bean-shaped structures that produce and store cells that help fight infection and disease. Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system.
Lymphatic System: The network of vessels through which lymph drains from the tissues into the blood. It’s a part of the circulatory system and a vital part of the immune system, comprising a network of lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph towards the heart.
Malaise: A general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify.
Malignant: Referring to a disease, typically cancer, that is harmful and tends to progress, spread, and potentially lead to death if not treated.
Mammogram: An X-ray photograph of the breast, used to detect the presence of breast cancer.
Manual Handling: The transporting or supporting of loads by hand or with bodily force. In healthcare, this often refers to the practice of safely moving patients.
Mastectomy: A surgical operation to remove one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually performed to treat breast cancer.
Mechanical Ventilation: A method to mechanically assist or replace spontaneous breathing when a patient is unable to breathe on their own due to illness, surgery, or trauma.
Medial: Situated near the median plane of the body or the midline of an organ. Opposite of lateral.
Medicaid: A joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources.
Medical Chart: A complete record of a patient’s key clinical data and medical history, including demographics, vital signs, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, progress notes, problems, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results.
Medical Ethics: A system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. It encompasses topics like patient privacy, confidentiality, and consent.
Meditation: A practice of mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
Melanoma: A type of skin cancer that can develop from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. It is the most serious type of skin cancer.
Memory Care: Specialized care provided to those with varying degrees of dementia or Alzheimer’s. It involves creating a structured environment that reduces stress, enhances dignity, and promotes quality of life.
Menopause: The time in a woman’s life when her menstrual periods permanently stop, typically between the ages of 45 and 55. It is defined as occurring 12 months after your last menstrual period.
Metabolism: The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments.
Microorganisms: A microscopic organism, especially a bacterium, virus, or fungus.
Migraine: A neurological condition characterized by intense, debilitating headaches. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, difficulty speaking, numbness or tingling, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Minimally Invasive Surgery: Surgical techniques that limit the size of incisions needed and so lessen wound healing time, associated pain and risk of infection.
Mobility Aid: A device designed to assist walking or otherwise improve the mobility of people with a mobility impairment.
Mood Disorder: A psychological disorder characterized by the elevation or lowering of a person’s mood, such as depression or bipolar disorder.
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus): A strain of bacteria that’s resistant to many commonly used antibiotics, making it particularly dangerous to hospital patients with weakened immune systems.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): A medical imaging technique used to visualize internal structures of the body in detail, using a large magnet and radio waves.
Mucus: A slippery aqueous secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is typically produced from cells found in mucous glands, although it may also originate from mixed glands, which contain both serous and mucous cells.
Multidisciplinary Team: A group of healthcare professionals from different specialties working together to diagnose, treat, and provide ongoing care for patients.
Myocardial Infarction (MI): Commonly known as a heart attack, it occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to a part of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle.
Narcotics: Drugs that relieve pain and induce sleep, narcotics include medications like morphine and hydrocodone. They are often used in a controlled manner to manage pain.
Nasogastric (NG) Tube: A tube that is passed through the nose and down through the nasopharynx and esophagus into the stomach. It can be used for feeding and/or administering drugs and other oral agents.
Neoplasm: An abnormal growth of tissue, as a tumor, that may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Nephrology: The branch of medicine concerned with the study of kidney function and the treatment of kidney diseases.
Neurology: The branch of medicine or biology that deals with the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of nerves and the nervous system.
Neuron: A specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.
Neurosurgery: Surgery performed on the nervous system, especially the brain and spinal cord.
Neurotransmitter: Chemical substances that transmit signals across a chemical synapse, such as a neuromuscular junction, from one neuron (nerve cell) to another ‘target’ neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.
Nosocomial Infection: Infections that have been caught in a hospital and are potentially caused by organisms that are resistant to antibiotics. Also known as hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
Nurse Practitioner (NP): Advanced practice registered nurses who provide primary, specialty, and acute healthcare, diagnosing, treating, and managing patient care.
Nutrition: The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth. It involves the intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion of nutrients by the body.
Occupational Therapy: The use of assessment and intervention to develop, recover, or maintain the meaningful activities, or occupations, of individuals, groups, or communities. It is an allied health profession performed by occupational therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs).
Oncology: The study and treatment of tumors (cancer).
Ophthalmology: The branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the eye and visual system.
Optometrist: A healthcare professional who practices optometry, the examination and treatment of eyes for visual defects, who is not a medical doctor (ophthalmologist).
Oral Hygiene: The practice of keeping one’s mouth clean and free of disease and other problems (e.g., bad breath) by regular brushing of the teeth (dental hygiene) and cleaning between the teeth. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out on a regular basis to enable prevention of dental disease and bad breath.
Orthopedics: The branch of medicine dealing with the correction of deformities of bones or muscles. This includes treatment for bone fractures, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders of the skeletal system.
Osteoarthritis: A type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the ends of bones wears down. It is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide.
Osteoporosis: A medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D.
Otolaryngology: The study of diseases of the ear and throat.
Outpatient: A patient who attends a hospital for treatment without staying there overnight.
Over-the-Counter (OTC): Referring to drugs that can be bought without a prescription.
Oxygen Therapy: The administration of oxygen as a medical intervention, which can be for a variety of purposes in both chronic and acute patient care. Oxygen is essential for cell metabolism, and in turn, tissue oxygenation is essential for all normal physiological functions.
Palliative Care: Specialized medical care for people living with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Pancreas: A large gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. Embedded within it are the islets of Langerhans, which secrete into the blood the hormones insulin and glucagon.
Paralysis: The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body, typically as a result of illness, poison, or injury.
Parenteral Nutrition: Feeding a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process of eating and digestion. The person receives nutritional formulas that contain nutrients such as glucose, salts, amino acids, lipids, and added vitamins and dietary minerals.
Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
Pathogen: A bacterium, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease.
Patient Advocacy: Various actions taken to speak out, intervene, and mediate the challenges faced by patients within the healthcare system to ensure that patients retain their rights and receive the care, respect, and dignity they deserve throughout their care.
Pediatric: Relating to the branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases.
Peripheral Neuropathy: A result of damage to your peripheral nerves, often causing weakness, numbness, and pain, usually in your hands and feet.
Peritoneal Dialysis: A treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of your abdomen, or belly, to filter your blood inside your body. Doctors call this lining the peritoneum.
Pharmacology: The branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs.
Phlebotomy: The practice of drawing blood from patients and taking the blood specimens to the laboratory to prepare for testing.
Physical Therapy: Treatments to rehabilitate patients disabled by illness or injury, to help them regain movement and manage pain.
Physiotherapy: Treatment through physical methods, such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery, aiming to restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness, or disability.
Placebo: A harmless pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient than for any physiological effect.
Plasma: The largest part of your blood. When separated from the rest of the blood, plasma is a light yellow liquid. Plasma carries water, salts, and enzymes. The main role of plasma is to take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it. Cells also put their waste products into the plasma. The plasma then helps remove this waste from the body. Blood plasma also carries all parts of the blood through your circulatory system.
Platelet: A small blood cell important for clotting the blood and stopping bleeding.
Pneumonia: An infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
Podiatry: The branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity.
Polio: A crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease that is caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis.
Polypharmacy: The simultaneous use of multiple drugs by a single patient, for one or more conditions. This is often seen in elderly patients and can cause significant interactions and adverse effects.
Postoperative: Relating to the period after surgical operation.
Preoperative: Relating to the period before a surgical operation.
Prescription: A directive issued by a medical professional that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment.
Preventive Medicine: Medical practices designed to avert and avoid disease. This can include steps individuals can take, such as lifestyle modifications and health screenings, to prevent diseases and other health problems.
Primary Care: Basic or general health care traditionally provided by doctors specializing in family practice, pediatrics, or internal medicine.
Prognosis: The likely course of a disease or ailment. It’s an estimate of the expected development of a disease, including whether the signs and symptoms will improve or worsen, and how quickly, based on the general outlook of the condition.
Prosthesis: An artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth. Prostheses are intended to restore the normal functions of the missing body part.
Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental illness, emotional disturbance, and abnormal behavior.
Psychology: The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context.
Pulmonary: Relating to the lungs.
Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs): A group of tests that measure how well your lungs work, including how well you’re able to breathe and how effective your lungs are able to bring oxygen to the rest of your body.
Pulse: The throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them, typically felt in the wrists or neck.
Radiation Therapy: A treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. At low doses, radiation is used in x-rays to see inside your body, as with x-rays of your teeth or broken bones.
Radiography: The science of using radiation to provide images of the organs and structures inside the body.
Range of Motion Exercises (ROM Exercises): Physical exercises aimed at improving or maintaining flexibility and muscle strength through movement. These exercises help to keep joints and muscles from becoming stiff or tight.
Rehabilitation: The process of helping a person achieve the highest level of function, independence, and quality of life possible. Rehabilitation does not reverse or undo the damage caused by disease or trauma, but rather helps restore the individual to optimal health, functioning, and well-being.
Renal: Relating to the kidneys.
Respiratory Rate: The number of breaths you take per minute. The normal is 12 to 20 breaths per minute for an adult.
Respiratory System: The network of organs and tissues that help you breathe. This includes your airways, lungs, and blood vessels. The muscles that power your lungs are also part of the respiratory system. These parts work together to move oxygen throughout the body and clean out waste gases like carbon dioxide.
Restorative Care: Care that helps maintain the personal independence of a resident, focusing on areas such as mobility, dressing, eating, and grooming competence.
Rheumatology: A branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases, which involve inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue.
Saturated Fats: A type of dietary fat that is typically solid at room temperature. It is found in animal products like beef, pork, and dairy, as well as some plant-based sources such as coconut oil and palm oil. Consuming too much saturated fat
It seems you’re looking for a continuation of glossary terms related to health care, possibly within a nursing or caregiving context. Here is a quick overview or definition of the terms listed:
Saliva
A clear liquid secreted by the salivary glands in the mouth, important for digestion and oral health.
Scabies
A skin infestation caused by a mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei, leading to itching and rash.
Scale
- A device used for measuring weight.
- The process of skin flaking off or a series of marks used for measurement.
Secretions
Substances produced and released by glands, like saliva, sweat, or mucus.
Seizure
A sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain, causing changes in behavior, movements, feelings, and levels of consciousness.
Self-Actualization
The realization of one’s potential and the development of self-fulfillment.
Self-Esteem
One’s overall sense of personal value or self-worth.
Sexual Activity
Actions that are related to and often result in sexual arousal, intercourse, or pleasure.
Sexual Expression
How individuals express their sexuality which can include thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles, and relationships.
Sexual Needs
Basic human needs related to sexuality, including desire for intimacy and sexual expression.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Infections commonly spread by sexual activity, also known as sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Sharps Container
A hard plastic container that is used to safely dispose of hypodermic needles, and other sharp medical instruments.
Shaving
The act of removing hair from the body with a razor or shaver.
Shearing of Skin
Injury that occurs when skin layers are forced to move in opposite directions, commonly seen in bedridden patients.
Side Rails
Bars on the side of a hospital or nursing home bed designed to prevent the patient from falling out.
Sims Position
A position in which a patient lies on their left side with the right knee and thigh drawn upwards, commonly used for certain medical examinations or treatments.
Sitz Bath
A warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum, the area between the rectum and the vulva or scrotum.
Skin Integrity
The condition of the skin; intact skin is considered a primary defense against infection.
Smoking
The act of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or other substances.
Social Needs
Human needs that include the desire for belonging, love, and affection.
Social Worker
A professional who provides assistance to improve or manage the social conditions of individuals or communities.
Soiled Linen
Bedding, clothes, or other fabric items that have been contaminated with bodily fluids or substances.
Specimen
A sample of tissue, blood, or other bodily fluid for examination or analysis.
Spilled Food
Food that has accidentally fallen out of a container or been dropped.
Spills
General term for any liquid or solid that has fallen out of its container.
Spiritual Needs
The needs that concern the deeper aspects of humanity, such as purpose, love, belonging, and the search for meaning.
Standard Precautions
Infection control practices used to prevent transmission of diseases that can be acquired by contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin (including rashes), and mucous membranes.
State Survey
An evaluation conducted by a governing body to ensure that standards and regulations are being met by an institution like a nursing home or hospital.
Stealing
Taking someone else’s property without permission.
Stereotypes
Overgeneralized beliefs about a particular group of people.
Sterilization
The process of making something free from all forms of life, including microbes.
Stethoscope
An instrument used for listening to internal sounds of the body, such as heart and lung sounds.
Stool Specimen
A sample of feces for medical testing.
Stress
A physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension.
Stroke
A medical condition where poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death.
Strong Side
The side of the body that is more powerful or less affected by disability.
Subjective
Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
Suicide
The act of intentionally causing one’s own death.
Sundowning
A symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia characterized by confusion and agitation that worsens in the late afternoon and evening.
Supine
Lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up.
Supplemental Feedings
Additional nutrition provided beyond the primary means of feeding, often used in medical settings when individuals cannot consume adequate nutrition by mouth.
Suspected Abuse
Instances where abuse is believed to have occurred, but not yet confirmed.
Swelling
An enlargement of a body part caused by fluid accumulation.
Systolic
The blood pressure when the heart is contracting, the first and higher of the two numbers in a blood pressure reading.
Tachycardia
Abnormally rapid heart rate.
This list continues the glossary terms you’ve provided with concise definitions. If you need further detail on any term or have additional terms, feel free to ask!
Certainly! Continuing from where we left off:
Telephone Etiquette
The manner in which one conducts themselves on the phone to maintain polite and effective communication.
Temperature
A measure of body heat or the measure of the warmth or coldness of an environment, expressed in degrees according to a standard scale.
Terminal Illness
A disease or condition that is ultimately fatal; it cannot be cured or adequately treated and is likely to lead to the death of the patient within a relatively short period.
Threatening Resident
A resident in a care facility who exhibits behaviors or verbalizations that may pose dangers to themselves or others.
Thrombus
A blood clot formed within a blood vessel and remaining attached to its place of origin.
Tips
- Gratuities given in appreciation of service, typically in the service industry.
- Helpful pieces of advice.
Toenails
The hard coverings at the ends of the toes, made of a tough protein called keratin.
Toileting Schedule
A planned schedule to assist individuals, particularly those who are elderly or have disabilities, in using the toilet at regular times to maintain continence.
Trachea
The windpipe; the large airway that leads from the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi of the lungs.
Transfers
Movements of patients from one place to another or from one surface to another, such as from a bed to a wheelchair.
Transport Bag
A bag used to transport items, often used within medical settings for carrying specimens, documents, etc.
Transporting Food
The process of moving food from one area to another, commonly within a healthcare facility, ensuring food safety protocols are maintained.
Treating Residents with Respect
Interacting with residents of a care facility in a dignified and respectful manner, acknowledging their value as individuals.
Tub Bath
A bath given to a patient or resident in a tub, as opposed to a shower or bed bath.
Tube Feeding
The administration of nutrients through a tube inserted into the stomach or small intestine.
Tubing
Flexible tubes used in medical settings for various purposes, including administration of fluids or gases.
Twice Daily
A directive to perform an action or administer treatment twice within a 24-hour period, typically every 12 hours.
Tympanic Temperatures
Body temperatures measured with an electronic thermometer in the ear canal.
Unaffected
Not influenced, changed, or impaired in any way.
Unconscious
A state in which a person is unable to respond to or perceive external stimuli, often due to illness, trauma, or a medical procedure.
Uniform
Standardized clothing worn by individuals belonging to the same organization or participating in the same activity.
Unopened Mail
Mail that has not been opened or tampered with.
Unsteady
Lacking stability, balance, or certainty; prone to wobble or fall.
Urinary Catheter Bag
A bag used to collect urine draining from a catheter.
Urinary System
The organs and ducts responsible for the production, storage, and expulsion of urine.
Urination
The discharge of urine from the body.
Urine
The liquid waste product filtered from the blood by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and expelled through the urethra.
Urine Specimen
A sample of urine collected for the purpose of medical testing.
Vaginal Drainage
Fluid that is discharged from the vagina, which can be a normal bodily function or a sign of infection.
Validation Therapy
A technique used to communicate with and provide care for individuals with severe dementia, characterized by acknowledging and validating their feelings and experiences.
Vision Change
Any alteration in sight, which may include changes in clarity, range of vision, or perception of colors.
Vital Signs
Clinical measurements that indicate the state of a patient’s essential body functions, including temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
Vitamins
Organic compounds that are necessary in small amounts for normal growth, metabolism, and vitality, which are not synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body, and must be obtained from the diet.
Vomitus
Material that has been vomited; the contents expelled from the stomach through the mouth.
Walker
A frame device used to support individuals while walking, typically used by the elderly or those recovering from injuries.
Wandering Resident
A resident who moves aimlessly or aimlessly within a facility, often seen in individuals with dementia.
Water Faucets
Devices that control the release of water from a plumbing system.
Water Temperature
The degree of warmth or coldness of water in a given setting.
Weakness
Lack of physical strength or muscle power, or feeling of needing to exert extra effort to move or accomplish tasks.
Weighing
Measuring the weight of an individual or object using scales.
Weight
The measure of how heavy someone or something is, usually expressed in pounds or kilograms.
Wheelchair Safety
Guidelines and practices designed to ensure the safe use of wheelchairs, including proper handling, maintenance, and usage techniques.
White Blood Cells
Cells in the blood that are part of the immune system and help the body fight infection and other diseases.
Withdrawal
- The act of pulling back or removing oneself from participation in an activity.
- The group of symptoms that occur upon the abrupt discontinuation or decrease in intake of medications or recreational drugs.
This concludes the comprehensive glossary of terms; if you have any more specific questions or need further details on any term, feel free to ask!
