| A | B |
|---|
| abandonment | leaving resident unattended |
| abduction | away from the center (midline) of the body |
| abrasion | a scraping or rubbing off of the skin |
| abuse | the infliction of physical, sexual, or emotional injury or harm |
| Active-Resistance ROM | the nurse assistant assists the resident in performing the exercise |
| Active Range of Motion exercises | movements carried out by the resident |
| Activities of Daily Living (ADL) | any activity that is performed in one's life on a daily basis |
| acute | developing rapidly with pronounced symptoms and lasting a short time; rapid onset, short-term |
| adduction | toward the center (midline) of the body |
| admission | process of checking a resident into the facility |
| advance directive | a document that designates the resident's wishes in the event that he/she is unable to speak for himself/herself |
| advocate | a person who defends someone else |
| afebrile | without fever |
| agitation | vocal or motor behaviors such as shouting, fidgeting, pacing, screaming, or wandering |
| agnosia | loss of the ability to recognize familiar objects |
| Alzheimer's disease | a progressive impairment of memory, reasoning, and judgment that is related to cellular changes within the brain and that leads to loss of independence in activities of daily living |
| ambulation | ability to walk |
| ambulatory | able to walk |
| anterior | toward the front |
| anti-embolism stockings | elastic hosiery used to minimize the occurrence of edema and blood clots |
| body mechanics | using correct techniques in performing certain functions in a manner that does not add undue strain to the body |
| body temperature | the amount of heat in the body that is a balance between the amount of heat produced and the amount lost by the body |
| bowel movement | solid waste eliminated from the digestive tract |
| bowel obstruction | a blockage in the intestine |
| brachial artery | the artery in the antecubital space in front of the elbow |
| bradycardia | slow pulse rate, usually less that 60 beats per minute |
| bronchi | two large branches of the trachea through which air moves in and out of the lungs |
| call bell | see call system |
| call light | see call system |
| call system | in the patient unit, this consists of a signal cord or button. This signal activates a bell, light, or intercom system used to request assistance. The cord or button must be placed within the patient's reach at all times. |
| cannula | a plastic or metal tube |
| care plan | an individual plan of care for each resident |
| cataract | clouding of the lens of the eye |
| catastrophic reaction | overreaction to circumstances |
| catheter | a sterile tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine |
| Cheyne-Stokes | a pattern of breathing in which respirations gradually increase in rate and depth and then become shallow and slow; breathing may stop for 10 to 20 seconds |
| chronic | continuing over a long period of time or recurring frequently; __________conditions begin insidiously, and symptoms are not as noticeable as in acute condition; long, drawn out, long term |
| circumcision | surgical removal of the end of the foreskin of the penis |
| coccyx | the bone at the base of the spine (tailbone) |
| cognitive | dealing with the thoughts and emotions |
| colostomy | an artificial opening made in the abdominal wall to allow the passage of feces through a stoma (opening) |
| combativeness | physically aggressive behavior, hitting, kicking, scratching, biting |
| communication | the exchange of information accomplished by sending and receiving messages. Communication requires both a sender and receiver. |
| dangle | to sit on the side of the bed with the legs over the edge of the mattress |
| deafness | inability to hear |
| death | a natural part of life where all vital functions of the body cease |
| decubitus ulcer | an inflammation, sore, or lesion that develops over areas where the skin and tissue underneath are injured due to a lack of blood flow |
| defecation | passing feces from the body; passing of stool |
| deficiency | a written notice of inadequate care or sub-standard practice |
| dehydration | loss of body's normal water content, which can affect both physical and mental functions |
| delirium | memory and thinking impairment that comes |
| dementia | severe impairment of cognitive functions such as thinking, memory, and personality; comes on slowly and worsens over time; usually irreversible, depending on the cause of the dementia |
| dentures | artificial or "false" teeth |
| dependent | unable to care for one's self |
| diabetes | a chronic disease characterized by insufficient insulin production |
| diagnosis | determining what kind of disease or medical condition a person has; the nurse assistant can find out by looking in the chart; the doctor determines the problem based on tests, observations, etc. |
| diaphoresis | excessive sweating |
| diarrhea | frequent passage of liquid stool |
| diastolic pressure | the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest (the bottom number) |
| digestion | process by which food is broken down, mechanically and chemically, and changed to a form that can be absorbed by the body |
| dilate | to get larger |
| discharge | the resident goes to another facility, home, to the home of a relative/friend, or if the resident dies |
| disorientation | the state of mental confusion or loss of bearings in relation to the sense of person, place, or time |
| distention | the state of being inflated or enlarged |
| diversionary | to draw attention to something else or to amuse |
| dysphagia | difficulty swallowing |
| dyspnea | difficulty in breathing |
| anus | outlet of the rectum |
| aphasia | language difficulty due to brain damage, which can affect listening, speaking, reading, and writing skill; loss of the ability use or understand language |
| apical pulse | pulse taken at the apex of the heart |
| apraxia | loss of the ability to carry out planned movements at will |
| arteries | blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart |
| arteriosclerosis | loss of elasticity in the walls of the blood vessels |
| arthritis | inflammation of a joint |
| asepsis | the absence of germs |
| aseptic | free of microorganisms |
| aspiration | to draw fluid or object into the lung when breathing in |
| assault | threat or attempt to injure another in an unlawful manner |
| assessment | an appraisal of the whole person to establish a baseline and determine the resident's potential and his need for help |
| atherosclerosis | accumulation of fat deposits inside of arteries, making them more narrow |
| atrophy | wasting away of muscle tissue leading to weakness |
| axilla | armpit |
| basic human needs | activities required by all people to successfully and satisfactorily live their lives |
| bacteria | single-celled organisms that can cause disease/illness |
| battery | unlawful application of force to the person of another |
| bladder | a muscular sac that stores the urine in the body |
| blindness | inability to see |
| blood pressure | the amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood |
| coccyx | the bone at the base of the spine (tailbone) |
| cognitive | dealing with the thoughts and emotions |
| colostomy | an artificial opening made in the abdominal wall to allow the passage of feces through a stoma (opening) |
| combativeness | physically aggressive behavior, hitting , kicking, scratching, biting |
| communication | the exchange of information accomplished by sending and receiving messages. Communication requires both a sender and receiver. |
| competency | the ability to properly perform a specific task |
| condom catheter | an external catheter applied to males (Texas catheter) |
| conduct | one's actions in general; behavior |
| confidential | personal; not known to others |
| confused | state of being mixed up |
| confusion | a mental state characterized by disorientation regarding time, place, or person |
| congestive heart failure (CHF) | the inability of the heart to pump an adequate quantity of blood |
| consent | permission granted voluntarily by a person in his/her (sound/clear) mind |
| constipation | the passage of unusually dry, hard stools |
| constrict | get smaller |
| contaminated | exposed to germs |
| contracture | shortening of muscles and tendons, which causes deformity of joint and a decrease in joint motion and muscle wasting |
| contusion | an injury that does not break the skin, caused by a blow to the body and characterized by swelling, discoloration, and pain |
| cyanotic | a bluish-gray color of the skin, lips, or nail beds due to lack of oxygen |
