Nursing Definitions For A

Front 1

Abdominal paracentesis

Back 1

removal of fluids from the peritoneal cavity

Front 2

Accomodation

Back 2

a process of change whereby cognitive processes mature sufficiently to allow a person to solve problems that were previously unsolvable

Front 3

Accountability

Back 3

being responsible for one's actions and accepting the consequences of one's behavior

Front 4

Acculturation

Back 4

the blending of attitudes and beliefs; process by which members of a foreign culture learn the values and behaviors of culture to which they have immigrated.

Front 5

Acid

Back 5

a substance hat releases hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution

Front 6

Acidosis

Back 6

a condition that occurs with increases in blood carbonic acid or with decreases in blood bicarbonate; blood pH below 7.35

Front 7

Acquired immunity

Back 7

see Passive immunity

Front 8

Action stage.

Back 8

occurs when the person actively implements behavioral and cognitive strategies to interrupt previous behavior patterns and adopt new ones; this stage requires the greatest commitment of time and energy

Front 9

Active euthanasia

Back 9

actions that directly bring about the client's death with or without consent.

Front 10

Active immunity

Back 10

a resistance of the body to infection in which the host produces its own antibodies in response to natural or artificial antigens.

Front 11

Active ROM exercises

Back 11

isotonic exercises in which the client moves each joint in the body through its complete range, maximally stretching all muscle groups within each plane over the joint.

Front 12

Active transport

Back 12

movement of substances across cell membranes against the concentration gradient.

Front 13

Activities

Back 13

the specific nursing actions needed to carry out the interventions (or nursing orders)

Front 14

Activity theory

Back 14

the best way to age is to stay active physically and mentally.

Front 15

Activity tolerance

Back 15

the type and amount of exercise or daily activities an individual is able to perform.

Front 16

Activity-exercise pattern

Back 16

refers to a person's pattern of exercise, activity, leisure, and recreation

Front 17

Actual loss

Back 17

can be identified by others and can arise either in response to or in anticipation of a situation

Front 18

Acupressure

Back 18

a form of healing in which the therapist exerts finger pressure on specific sites.

Front 19

Acute illness

Back 19

typically characterized by severe symptoms of relatively short duration.

Front 20

Acute infection

Back 20

those that generally appear suddenly or last a short time.

Front 21

Acute pain

Back 21

pain that lasts only through the expected recovery period (less than six months). whether it has a sudden or slow onset and regardless of the intensity.

Front 22

Adaptation

Back 22

the process of modifying to meet new, changing, or different conditions.

Front 23

Adaptive mechanisms

Back 23

earned behaviors that ssist in individual to adjust to the environment.

Front 24

Adherence

Back 24

the extent to which an individual's behavior (for example, taking medications, following diets, or making lifestyle changes) coincides with medical or health advice; commitment or attachment to a regimen.

Front 25

Adjuvant analgesic

Back 25

Medication that may enhance the effects f other analgesics or have its own analgesic properties.

Front 26

Adolescence

Back 26

the period during which the person becomes physically and psychologically mature and acquires a personal identity.

Front 27

Adolescent growth spurt

Back 27

the period during puberty where sudden and dramatic physical changes occur

Front 28

Advance health care directive

Back 28

a variety of legal and lay documents that allow persons to specify aspects of care they wish to receive should they become unable to make or communicate their preferences.

Front 29

Adventitious breath sounds

Back 29

abnormal or acquired breath sounds

Front 30

Adverse effects

Back 30

more severe side effects which may justify the discontinuation of a drug

Front 31

Advocate

Back 31

individual who pleads the cause of another or argues or plead for a cause or proposal

Front 32

Aerobic

Back 32

requiring oxygen

Front 33

Aerobic exercise

Back 33

any activity during which the body takes in more or an equal amount of oxygen than it expends

Front 34

Afebrile

Back 34

absence of a fever

Front 35

Affective domain

Back 35

known as the "feeling" domain and is divided into categories that specify the degree of a person's depth of emotional response to tasks; it includes feelings, emotions, interests, attitudes, and appreciations.

Front 36

Afterload

Back 36

the resistance against which the heart must pump to eject the blood into the circulation.

Front 37

Agglutinins

Back 37

specific antibodies formed in the blood

Front 38

Agglutinogens

Back 38

a substance that acts as an antigen and stimulates the production of agglutinins

Front 39

Agnostic

Back 39

a person who doubts the existence of God or a supreme being or believes the existence of God has not been proved.

Front 40

Agonist

Back 40

a drug that interacts with a receptor to produce a response.

Front 41

Agonist analgesic

Back 41

full agonists which are pure opioid drugs that bind tightly to mu receptor sites, producing maximum pain inhibition, an agonist effect.

Front 42

Agonist-antagonist analgesic

Back 42

mixed agonists-antagonists drugs that can act like opioids and relieve pain (agonist effect) when given to a client who has not taken any pure opioids.

Front 43

Airborne precautions

Back 43

methods used to reduce exposure to infectious agents transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei smaller than 5 microns.

Front 44

Airborne transmission

Back 44

infectious agent transmitted by droplets or dust.

Front 45

Alarm reaction

Back 45

the initial reaction of the body to stress, which alerts the body's defenses

Front 46

Algor mortis

Back 46

the gradual decrease of the body's temperature after death.

Front 47

Alkalosis

Back 47

a condition that occurs with increases in blood bicarbonate or decreases in blood carbonic acid; blood pH above 7.45

Front 48

Alopecia

Back 48

the loss of scalp hair (baldness) or body hair

Front 49

Alternative medicine

Back 49

an unrelated group of non-orthodox practices, often with explanatory systems that do not follow conventional biomedical explanations.

Front 50

Amblyopia

Back 50

reduced visual acuity in one eye.

Front 51

Ambulation

Back 51

the act of walking

Front 52

Ambulatory surgery center (ASC)

Back 52

facilities where surgeries that do not require hospital admission are performed.

Front 53

Ampule

Back 53

a small glass container for individual doses of liquid medications.

Front 54

Anabolism

Back 54

a process in which simple substances are converted by the body cells into more complex substances (e.g., building tissue, positive nitrogen balance)

Front 55

Anaerobic

Back 55

involves activity in which the muscles cannot draw out enough oxygen form the blood stream; used in endurance training.

Front 56

Anaerobic exercise

Back 56

involves activity in which the muscles cannot draw out enough oxygen form the blood stream; used in endurance training

Front 57

Anaphylactic reaction

Back 57

a severe allergic reaction usually occurs immediately after the administration of the drug.

Front 58

Andragogy

Back 58

the art and science of helping adults learn.

Front 59

Anemia

Back 59

a condition in which the blood is deficent in red blood cells or hemoglobin

Front 60

Anger

Back 60

an emotional state consisting of subjective feeling of animosity or strong displeasure.

Front 61

Angiography

Back 61

a diagnostic procedure enabling X-ray visual examination of the vascular system after injection of a radiopaque dye.

Front 62

Angle of Louis

Back 62

the junction between the body of the sternum and the manubrium; the starting point for locating the ribs anteriorly

Front 63

anions

Back 63

ions carrying a negative charge and include chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, and sulfate.

Front 64

Ankylosed

Back 64

permanently immobile joints.

Front 65

Anorexia

Back 65

lack of appetite.

Front 66

Anorexia nervosa

Back 66

a disease characterized by a prolonged inability or refusal to eat, rapid weight loss, and emaciation in persons who continue to believe they are fat.

Front 67

Anoscopy

Back 67

visual examination of the anal canal used an anoscope (a lighted instrument)

Front 68

Anoxemia

Back 68

reduced oxygen in the blood.

Front 69

Answer

Back 69

(legal) a written response made by the defendant

Front 70

Antibodies

Back 70

immunoglobulins, part of the body's plasma proteins, defend primarily against the extracellular phases of bacterial and viral infections.

Front 71

Anticipatory grief

Back 71

grief experienced in advance of the event.

Front 72

Anticipatory loss

Back 72

the experience of loss before the loss actually occurs.

Front 73

Antigen

Back 73

a substance capable of inducing the formation of antibodies

Front 74

Antihelix

Back 74

the anterior curve of the auricle's upper aspect.

Front 75

antiseptics

Back 75

agents that inhibit the growth of some microorganisms

Front 76

Anuria

Back 76

the failure of the kidneys to produce urine, resulting in a total lack of urination or output of less than 100 mL per day in an adult.

Front 77

Anxiety

Back 77

a state of mental uneasiness, apprehension, or dread producing an increased level of arousal caused by an impending or anticipated threat to self or significant relationships

Front 78

Apgar scoring system

Back 78

a scoring system to assess newborn babies.

Front 79

Aphasia

Back 79

any defects in or loss of the power to express oneself by speech, writing, or signs, or to comprehend spoken or written language due to disease or injury of the cerebral cortex

Front 80

Apical pulse

Back 80

a central pulse located at the apex of the heart.

Front 81

Apical-radial pulse

Back 81

measurement of the apical beat and the radial pulse at the same time.

Front 82

Apnea

Back 82

a complete absence of respirations.

Front 83

Apocrine glands

Back 83

develop in the axillae, anal and genital areas, external auditory canals, and around the umbillicus and the areola of the breasts

Front 84

Approximated

Back 84

closed tissue surfaces

Front 85

Arrhythmia

Back 85

a pulse with an abnormal rhythm

Front 86

Arterial blood gas

Back 86

test performed to evaluate the client's acid-base balance and oxygenation

Front 87

Arterial blood pressure

Back 87

the measure of the pressure exerted by the blood as it pulsates through the arteries

Front 88

Arteriosclerosis

Back 88

a condition in which the elastic and muscular tissues of the arteries are replaced with fibrous tissue.

Front 89

Ascites

Back 89

the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity

Front 90

Asepsis

Back 90

freedom from infection or infectious material

Front 91

asphyxiation

Back 91

lack of oxygen due to interrupted breathing

Front 92

aspiration

Back 92

the withdrawal of fluid that has abnormally collected (e.g., pleural cavity, abdominal cavity) or to obtain a specimen (e.g., cerebral spinal fluid)

Front 93

Assault

Back 93

an attempt or threat to touch another person unjustifiably

Front 94

Assessing

Back 94

the process of collecting, organizing, validating, and recording data (information) about a client's health status

Front 95

Assignment

Back 95

a downward or lateral transfer of both the responsibility and accountability of an activity from one individual to another

Front 96

Assimilation

Back 96

see Acculturation

Front 97

Assisted suicide

Back 97

a form of active euthanasia in which clients are given the means to kill themselves.

Front 98

Astigmatism

Back 98

an uneven curvature of the cornea that prevents horizontal and vertical rays from focusing on the retina.

Front 99

Atelectasis

Back 99

a condition that occurs when ventliation is decreased and pooled secretion accumulate in a dependent area of a bronchiole and block it.

Front 100

Atheist

Back 100

one who denies the existence of God

Front 101

Atherosclerosis

Back 101

the buildup of fatty plaque within the arteries

Front 102

Atria

Back 102

two uppoer hollow chambers of the heart.

Front 103

Atrioventricular (AV) node

Back 103

conduction pathways that slightly delay transmission of the impulse from the atria to the ventricles of the heart.

Front 104

Atrioventricular valve (AV)

Back 104

between the atria and ventricles of the heart, the tricuspid valve on the right and the bicuspid or mitral valve on the left.

Front 105

Atrophy

Back 105

wasting away; decrease in size of organ or tissue (e.g., muscle)

Front 106

Attentive listening

Back 106

listening actively, using all the sense, as opposed to listening passively with just the ear.

Front 107

Attitudes

Back 107

mental stance that is composed of many different beliefs; usually involving a positive or negative judgment toward a person, object, or idea.

Front 108

Auditory

Back 108

related to or experienced through hearing.

Front 109

Auricle

Back 109

flap of the ear.

Front 110

Auscultation

Back 110

the process of listening to sounds produced within the body

Front 111

Auscultatory gap

Back 111

the temporary disappearance of sounds normally heard over the brachial artery when the sphygmomanometer cuff pressure is high and the sounds reappear at a lower level

Front 112

Authoritarian leadership

Back 112

makes decisions for the group

Front 113

Authority

Back 113

the power given by an organization to direct the work of others; the right to act.

Front 114

Autoantigen

Back 114

an antigen that originates in a person's own body

Front 115

Autocratic leader

Back 115

see Authoritarian leader

Front 116

Automaticity

Back 116

an electrical impulse and contraction independent of the nervous system and generated by the cardiac muscle.

Front 117

Autonomy

Back 117

the state of being independent and self-directed without outside control, to make one's own decisions

Front 118

Autopsy

Back 118

an examination of the body after death to determine the cause of death and to learn more about a disease process

Front 119

Awareness

Back 119

the ability to perceive environmental stimuli and body reactions and to respond appropriately through thought and action