Hyperemia over a pressure site lasting longer than 1 hour after the removal of pressure;
surrounding skin does not blanch.
Potter & Perry: Fundamentals of Nursing, 6th Edition
Glossary of Key Terms
(47)
abnormal reactive
hyperemia
(47)
abrasion
Scraping or rubbing away of epidermis; may result in localized bleeding and later weeping of
serous fluid.
Passage of substances across and into tissues (e.g., intestinal and parenteral absorption).
Process whereby a professional association or nongovernmental body grants recognition to a
absorption
(5)
abstract
Short summary of the purpose of a study, the subjects included in the research, the way the study was conducted, and the results obtained in
the investigation.
The individual accepts the loss and begins to look to the future.
(29)
acceptance
State of being answerable for one's actions. For example, the professional nurse answers to herself or himself, the client, the profession, the
employing institution, and the professional society for the effectiveness of nursing care
performed.
school or institution for its demonstrated ability in a special area of practice or training, such as the accreditation of hospitals by the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or of nursing schools by the National League for
Nursing.
(25)
accrediting
(accreditation)
Process of intercultural borrowing between diverse peoples, resulting in a new and blended
pattern.
Inflammatory papulopustular skin eruption, usually occurring on the face, neck, shoulders,
and upper back.
Chronic metabolic condition caused by overproduction of growth hormone and
(38)
acne
characterized by gradual, marked enlargement and elongation of bones of the face, jaw, and
extremities.
Listening attentively with one's whole being— mind, body, and spirit.
(32)
acromegaly
(23)
active listening
Activities that depend on the client being motivated to adopt a specific health program.
Movement of materials across the cell membrane by means of chemical activity that allows the cell to admit larger molecules than would otherwise
be possible. (6)
active strategies of
health promotion
(40)active transport
Activities usually performed in the course of a normal day in the client's life, such as eating,
dressing, bathing, brushing the teeth, and grooming.
Type and amount of exercise or work that a person is able to perform.
(18, 36)
activities of daily
living (ADLs)
(36, 46)
activity tolerance
Any loss of a person or object that can no longer be felt, heard, known, or experienced by the
individual. (29)
actual loss
(16)actual nursing
diagnosis
Human response to health conditions/life processes that exist in an individual, family, or
community.
Mechanism by which entries describing client care activities are made over a 24-hour period.
The activities are then translated into a rating score or acuity score that allows for a comparison
of clients who vary by severity of illness.
(25)
acuity recording
Holes through which qi can be influenced by the insertion of needles.
Therapeutic technique of applying digital pressure in a specified way on designated points on the
body to relieve pain, produce anesthesia, or regulate body function.
(42)
acupressure
Traditional Chinese method of producing analgesia or altering the function of a body
system by the insertion of needles.
Nurse trained to function in the absence of a physician.
(1)
acute care nurse
practitioner (ACNP)
Illness characterized by symptoms that are of relatively short duration, are usually severe, and
affect the functioning of the client in all dimensions.
Follows acute injury, disease, or surgical intervention and has a rapid onset; varies in intensity, and lasts for a brief time, usually less
than 6 months.
(6)
acute illness
(42)
acute pain
Begins with the person experiencing, witnessing, or being confronted with a traumatic event and
responding with intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
A primary, chronic, neurobiological disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It
is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug
(30)
acute stress disorder
(42)
addiction
use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.
Substance, especially a drug, added to a prescription to assist in the action of the main
ingredient. (42)
adjuvant
(22)administrative law
(also known as
regulatory law)
Law created by administrative bodies such as State Boards of Nursing when they pass rules and
regulations.
Period of development between the onset of puberty and adulthood.
(11)
adolescence
Centers that provide a variety of health and social services to specific client populations who live
alone or with family in the community.
Nurse with a master's degree in nursing, advanced education in pharmacology and physical assessment, and certification and expertise in a specialized area of practice. An APN
usually works in a critical, acute, restorative, or community health care agency.
(1)
advanced practice
Abnormal lung sounds heard with auscultation.
A severe response to medication. For example, a client may become comatose when a drug is
ingested.
(34)
adverse effects
Harmful or unintended effect of a medication, diagnostic test, or therapeutic intervention.
Of or pertaining to the presence of air or oxygen; requiring oxygen for the maintenance of life.
(18)
adverse reaction
(33)
aerobic
Without fever.
Acquisition of behaviors involved in expressing feelings in attitudes, appreciations, and values.
(31)
afebrile
(24)
affective learning
Resistance to ventricular ejection.
(39)
afterload
(13)
ageism
Attitude that disadvantages, separates, and stigmatizes older adults on the basis of
age-related characteristics.
Term used to describe individuals who believe that any ultimate reality is unknowable.
(28)
agnostic
Contamination of the environmental atmosphere with substances known as pollutants, which are
not normally found in the air.
Substance released by the adrenal cortex in response to increased plasma potassium levels or
as a part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone mechanism to counteract hypovolemia.
(40)
aldosterone
Test for the patency of the radial artery. The client's hand is formed into a fist while the nurse compresses the ulnar artery. Compression of the ulnar artery is continued while the fist is opened.
If blood perfusion through the radial artery is adequate, the hand should flush and resume
normal pinkish coloration.
System of medical therapy in which a disease or an abnormal condition is treated by creating an environment that is antagonistic to the disease or
condition.
(35)
allopathic medicine
Partial or complete loss of hair; baldness.
Any of the systems of medical diagnosis and treatment differing in technique from that of the allopathic practitioner's use of drugs and surgery
to treat disease and injury.
(32, 38)
alopecia
(35)
alternative therapies
Brain disorder that causes a gradual and progressive decline in cognitive functioning: the most frequent cause of irreversible dementia; also
known as senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT).
(13)
Alzheimer's disease
(37)
Ambularm
Safety device that alerts health care personnel that a client is attempting to get up. Provides an
alternative to restraints.
Scheduled outpatient procedures provided for clients who do not remain overnight in a hospital.
ambulatory surgery
(1)
American Nurses
States that focuses on standards of health care, nurses' professional development, and economic
and general welfare of nurses.
Organization that provided valuable guidelines for perioperative management and evaluation of
process and outcomes.
(49)
American Society of
PeriAnesthesia Nurses
(ASPAN)
Building blocks that construct proteins; the end products of protein digestion.
Constructive metabolism characterized by conversion of simple substances into more
complex compounds of living matter.
(43)
anabolism
Absence of oxygen.
Relieving pain; a drug that relieves pain.
(42)
analgesic
Comparisons made between things otherwise unalike.
Reactions characterized by sudden constriction of bronchiolar muscles, edema of the pharynx and
larynx, and severe wheezing and shortness of breath. (24)
analogies
(34)anaphylactic
reactions
Disorder characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood.
(47)
anemia
(32)
aneurysm
Localized dilation of the wall of a blood vessel, usually caused by arteriosclerosis, hypertension,
or a congenital weakness in the vessel wall.
The stage in which the individual resists the loss and may strike out at everyone and everything.
anger
(39)
angina pectoris
myocardial anoxia as a result of artherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Pain radiates down the
inner aspect of the left arm and is often accompanied by feeling of suffocation and
impending death.
Substance produced by renin that causes some vasoconstriction.
(40)
angiotensin
Attribution of life to inanimate objects; for example, "Trees cry when their branches are
broken."
Difference between the concentrations of serum cations and anions: determined by measuring the
concentrations of sodium cations and chloride and bicarbonate anions.
(40)
anion gap
Negatively charged electrolytes.
Nondisclosure of a client's or other person's name or identification; used in research to ensure
the privacy of research subjects.
(5)
anonymity
Condition in which ill or debilitated clients have poor appetites.
Disease characterized by a prolonged refusal to eat, resulting in emaciation, amenorrhea, emotional disturbance concerning body image,
and an abnormal fear of becoming obese.
(43)
anorexia
(43)
anorexia nervosa
Group of muscles that work together to bring about movement at a joint.
Measures of height, weight, and skinfold thickness to evaluate muscle atrophy.
(36)
antagonistic muscles
(46)
anthropometric
Immunoglobulins essential to the immune system that are produced by lymphoid tissue in response
to bacteria, viruses, or other antigens.
(33)
antibodies
(29)
anticipatory grief
Grief response in which a person begins the grieving process before the actual loss.
Substance stored in the posterior pituitary gland that is released in response to changes in blood
osmolarity. (40)
antidiuretic hormone
(ADH)
antiembolic
stockings
Elasticized stockings that prevent formation of emboli and thrombi, especially after surgery or
during bed rest.
Substance (usually a protein) that causes the formation of an antibody and that reacts
specifically with that antibody.
(33)
antigen
Muscles involved with joint stabilization. These muscles continually oppose the effect of gravity
on the body and permit a person to maintain an upright or sitting posture.
Of or pertaining to a substance or procedure that reduces fever.
(31)
antipyretic
Cessation of urine production.
Rating describing a newborn's physiological status at birth and thereafter; assists with the determination of the newborn's ability to adjust to
extrauterine life.
(44)
anuria
(11)
Apgar score
Neurological disorder influencing the production and understanding of language.
Point at which the apex of the heart touches the anterior chest wall; best site for auscultation of
(32, 48)
aphasia
(32)
apical impulse
heart sounds; also called the point of maximal impulse (PMI).
One of the large, deep exocrine glands located in the axillary, anal, genital, and mammary areas of the body; secretes sweat that has a strong odor.
(38)
apocrine gland
(30)
appraisal
How people interpret the impact of the stressor on themselves, of what is happening and what they
can do about it.
To come close together, as in the edges of a wound.
(47)
approximate
Thin white ring along the margin of the iris.
The oxygen and carbon dioxide content of arterial blood, measured by various methods to assess the adequacy of ventilation and oxygenation and
the acid-base status of the body.
(40)
arterial blood gas
Immunity that follows the receipt of a vaccine, such as occurs with a tetanus or polio vaccine.
Piagetian term that describes the belief that all things in the universe have been created by man.
(11)
artificialism
Absence of germs or microorganisms.
Unlawful threatening or inflicting of harm on another.
(33)
asepsis
(22)
assault
Comprises respect for others, respect for yourself, self-awareness, and effective, clear and
consistent communication.
First step of the nursing process. Activities required in the first step are data collection, data validation, data sorting, and data documentation;
(23)
assertiveness
(15)
assessment
the purpose is to gather information for health problem identification.
The result of an individual giving up his or her ethnic identity in favor of the dominant culture.
(8)
assimilation
(2)
assisted living
Attractive long-term care setting with a homier environment and greater resident autonomy.
People who provide support to RNs and LPNs in the health care setting.
(1)
assistive personnel
Organization formed in 1956 to gain knowledge of surgical principles and explore surgical methods
to improve nursing care of surgical patients.
Statements that describe concepts or connect two concepts that are factual and that are accepted as
truths.
Pressure exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the walls of the arteries, veins, and
Operating Room Nurses
(AORN)
(4)
assumptions
A life-threatening cardiac condition characterized by the absence of electrical and mechanical
activity in the heart.
Collapse of alveoli, preventing the normal respiratory exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide.
(39)
asystole
(39, 46, 49)
atelectasis
Individual who does not believe in the existence of God.
Common arterial disorder characterized by yellowish plaques of cholesterol, lipids, and
(28)
atheist
(32)
atherosclerosis
Wasting or diminution of size or physiological activity of a part of the body caused by disease or
other influences.
chambers of the heart. The pressure in the aorta and the large arteries of a healthy young adult is
(32)
atrophy
(48)
auditory
Related to or experienced through the sense of hearing.
Sensation, as of light or warmth, that may proceed an attack of migraine or epileptic seizure.
(37)
aura
Disappearance of sound when obtaining a blood pressure: typically occurs between the first and
second Korotkoff sounds.
Right to act in areas in which the individual has been given and accepts responsibility.
(20)
authority
Process whereby clients are taught to relax and warm their hands or feet.
Transfusion procedure in which blood is removed from a donor and stored for a time before it is
returned to the donor's circulation.
approximately 120 mm Hg during systole and 70 mm Hg during diastole.
autogenic training
(40)
autologous
Voice-recognition computer technology that allows an individual to speak and enter data into a
computer through voice tones.
The stage of moral development when moral judgments are based on mutual respect for the rules and the consequences of a moral decision.
(25)
automated speech
recognition
(10)
autonomous stage
Ability or tendency to function independently.
Active listening techniques that indicate that the nurse has heard what the client says.
(20, 21, 23)
Autonomy
(15)
back channeling
Destructive to bacteria.
(33)
bactericidal
(33)
bacteriostasis
State in which the development or reproduction of bacteria is suspended.
Presence of bacteria in the urine.
(43)
bacteriuria
An individual postpones awareness of the reality of the loss and may try to deal in a subtle or overt
way as though the loss can be prevented.
Field of medicine that focuses on the treatment and control of obesity and diseases associated
with obesity.
(49)
bariatrics
Malignant epithelial cell tumor that begins as a papule and enlarges peripherally, developing a central crater that erodes, crusts, and bleeds. Metastasis is rare. Primary cause is excessive
exposure to the sun or to x-rays.
Amount of energy used in a unit of time by a fasting, resting subject to maintain vital functions.
basal cell carcinoma
(31, 43)
basal metabolic
Legal term for touching of another's body without consent.
Placement of the client in bed for therapeutic reasons for a prescribed period.
(22)
battery
(45)
bed rest
The doing or active promotion of doing good. One of the four principles of the ethical theory of
deontology.
Response to loss through death; a subjective experience that a person suffers after losing a
(21)
beneficence
(29)
bereavement
Term used to describe a person who has two culture's lifestyles or sets of values.
(8)
biculturalism
(8)
bilineal
Kinship extended to both the father's and mother's side of the family.
Method of measuring the fat composition of the body, as compared with other tissues, by its
resistance to electricity.
(43)
bioelectrical
impedance analysis
Field of study that guides the often complicated negotiations that characterize contemporary
decisions about health care.
Behavioral therapy that involves giving individuals information about physiological responses (such as blood pressure or tension) and ways to exercise voluntary control over those
responses.
(35, 42)
biofeedback
Cyclical nature of body functions; functions controlled from within the body as synchronized
with environmental factors: same meaning as biorhythm.
Research concerned mainly with discovering the causes and treatments of disease.
Record stored in a comprehensive computerized system that is used by all health care practitioners to permanently store information
biological clocks
(5)
biomedical research
Describes the way our physical bodies grow and change.
Removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or other part of the body for microscopic
examination. (10)
biophysical
development
(45)biopsy
The use of biological agents to create fear and threat. (37)
bioterrorism
(34)biotransformation
Change that occurs under the influence of enzymes that detoxify, degrade, and remove
biologically active chemicals.
Whitening of the skin from pressure, vasoconstriction, or hypotension.
pertaining to a client's health status, clinical problems, and functional abilities. The CPCR can
store numerous databases, including structured
blanching
(11)
blastocyst
Embryonic form that arises as a cavity within the morula, where cellular differentiation begins.
Family formed when parents bring together unrelated children from previous marriages.
(9)
blended family
Practice in which nurses who live within a neighborhood collaborate to offer services to
people in the community.
The individual's center of gravity is stable, and body strain is minimized.
(31)
blood pressure (BP)
(46)
body alignment
Mental picture of one's body internally and externally.
assessment data, clinical decision support systems, and diagnostic artificial intelligence. The CPCR will store information pertaining to a
given client from any health care event and
(26)
body image
(43)
body mass index
Measurement of weight, corrected for height, which serves as an alternative to traditional
height-weight relationships.
Coordinated efforts of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems to maintain proper balance,
posture, and body alignment.
(36, 46)
body mechanics
Round mass of chewed food ready to be swallowed.
Parent's emotional tie to a child; usually develops soon after birth as a result of such close
interaction.
(11)
bonding
Audible abdominal sound produced by hyperactive intestinal peristalsis.
Program of exercises through which the client gains control of bowel reflexes by setting up a daily routine, attempting to defecate at the same time each day, and using measures that promote
defecation.
thereby provide access to information across a client's life span.
(45)
bowel training
Slower than normal heart rate; heart contracts fewer than 60 times per minute.
Irregular, short uterine contractions.
(31)
bradycardia
(12)
Braxton Hicks
Pain that extends beyond treated steady chronic pain.
Pain that is predictable, elicited by specific behaviors.
(42)
breakthrough pain
(42)
Incident pain
Pain that occurs toward the end of the usual dosing interval of a regularly scheduled
analgesic. (42)
End-of-dose failure
pain
(42)Spontaneous pain
Pain that is unpredictable and not associated with any activity or event.
Antibiotics that are effective against a wide range of infectious microorganisms.
(33)
broad-spectrum
antibiotics
Increase in intensity and clarity of the vocal resonance that may result from an increase in the
lung tissue density, such as in the consolidation of pneumonia.
Visual examination of the tracheal and bronchial tree using a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope.
(39)
bronchoscopy
Abnormal sound or murmur heard while auscultating an organ, gland, or artery.
Of or pertaining to the inside of the cheek or the gum next to the cheek.
(34)
buccal
Found in the mucosa lining of cheeks and mouth, they secrete saliva to maintain the hygiene and
comfort of oral tissues.
Substance or group of substances that can absorb or release hydrogen ions to correct an
acid-base imbalance.
(38)
buccal glands
(40)
buffer
Insatiable craving for fond, often resulting in episodes of continuous eating that are followed
by purging, depression, and self-deprivation.
(43)
bulimia nervosa
(30)
burnout
A syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization of others, and perceptions of
reduced personal accomplishment.
General ill health and malnutrition marked by weakness and emaciation.
cachexia
(31)
calorie
of food, is 1000 times as large as the small calorie, the unit used in physics to describe
energy exchange in the body.
Method of paying a physician, hospital, or managed care system for annual services based
on a fee per client.
(2)
capitation
Dietary classification of food such as sugars, starches, cellulose, and gum.
Colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by the combustion of carbon or organic fuels.
(37)
carbon monoxide
Diagnostic procedure in which a catheter is introduced into a large vein, usually of an arm or leg, and threaded through the circulatory system
to the heart.
Adequacy of the cardiac output of an individual.
(39)
cardiac index (CI)
Volume of blood expelled by the ventricles of the heart; equal to the amount of blood ejected at each beat (the stroke output) multiplied by the number of beats in the period of time used in the
computation.
Process of actively assisting the cardiopulmonary client to achieve and maintain an optimal level of
health through controlled physical exercise, nutritional counseling, relaxation and stress management techniques, prescribed medication,
oxygen therapy, and adherence to the rehabilitation program. (31, 39)
cardiac output
(39)cardiopulmonary
rehabilitation
Basic emergency procedures for life support consisting of artificial respiration and manual
external cardiac massage.
(39)
cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR)
(1)
caregiver
One who contributes the benefits of medical, social, economic, or environmental resources to a
dependent or partially dependent individual.
Abnormal condition of a tooth, characterized by decay.
caries
(7)
caring
Sense of dedication to another person.
Animals or persons who harbor and spread a disease-causing organism but who do not
become ill.
(33)
carriers
Nonvascular, supporting connective tissue located mainly in the joints and in the thorax,
trachea, larynx, nose, and ear.
Slightly moveable, highly elastic cartilage that unites bony surfaces.
(36, 46)
cartilaginous joint
Model of care; the case manager advises nursing staff on specific nursing care issues, coordinates
the referral of clients to services provided by other disciplines, ensures that client education has been implemented, and monitors the client's
progress through discharge.
Complex metabolic process in which energy is liberated for use in work, energy, storage, or heat
production by oxidation of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins; carbon dioxide and water, as well as
energy, are produced.
(43)
catabolism
Condition characterized by sudden muscular weakness and loss of muscle tone.
Drug that acts to promote bowel evacuation.
(41)
cataplexy
(45)
cathartic
Introduction of a catheter into a body cavity or organ to inject or remove fluid.
Positively charged electrolytes.
(44)
catheterization
(40, 45)
cations
Denotes a temperature scale in which 0° is the freezing point of water and 100° is the boiling
point of water at sea level.
(31)
Celsius
(36)
center of gravity
Midpoint or center of the weight of a body or object.
Pertaining to the long axis of the body, or the relationship between the head and the base of the
spine (from head to toe).
(10)
cephalocaudal
certified
nurse-midwife (CNM)
Nurse who is educated in midwifery and possesses certification in accordance with criteria
of the American College of Midwives.
An RN who has received advanced training in an accredited program in anesthesiology.
(1)
certified registered
nurse anesthetist
(CRNA)
A yellow, waxy substance produced by sweat glands in the external ear canal. This is normal.
Small open ulcer that drains serous material; found on genitalia, associated with syphilis.
(32)
chancre
Report that occur between two scheduled nursing work shifts. Nurses communicate information about their assigned clients to nurses working on
the next shift of duty.
Means of conveying and receiving messages through visual, auditory, and tactile senses.
(25)
change-of-shift
report
(23)
channels
Charting methodology in which data is entered only when there is an exception from what is
normal or expected; reduces time spent documenting.
Ruby red papules of the skin.
(25)
charting by
exception
(32)
cherry angiomas
Group of therapies used to mobilize pulmonary secretions. (39, 46)
chest
physiotherapy (CPT)
(39)chest tube
Catheter inserted through the thorax into the chest cavity for removing air or fluid; used after
chest or heart surgery or pneumothorax.
System of therapy based on the theory that the state of a person's health is determined in general
by the condition of his or her nervous system.
(35)
chiropractic therapy
Surgical removal of the gallbladder.
Inflammation of the gallbladder; may be acute or chronic.
(32)
cholecystitis
Surgical resection of the anterolateral nerve tracts in the spinal cord for pain relief.
Illness that persists over a long period of time and affects physical, emotional, intellectual, social,
and spiritual functioning.
(6)
chronic illness
Pain that lasts longer than anticipated (usually over 6 months), may not have an identifiable cause, and may lead to great personal suffering.
Chronic pain may be noncancerous (nonmalignant) or cancerous.
Viscous, semifluid contents of the stomach present during digestion of a meal that eventually
pass into the intestines.
(42)
chronic pain
(43, 45)
chyme
The 24-hour day-night cycle also known as diurnal; pattern based on repetition of certain physiological phenomena within a 24-hour cycle.
Assistant to the scrub nurse and surgeon whose role is to provide necessary supplies, dispose of soiled instruments and supplies, and keep an
(41)
circadian rhythm
(49)
circulating nurse
accurate count of instruments, needles, and sponges used.
Chronic degenerative disease of the liver.
(32)
cirrhosis
(5)
citations
Reference notations to the source of an idea or quotation.
Laws established by a nation or state for its own jurisdiction.
(22)
civil laws
Mental process during the school years. The young child can separate objects into groups according to shape or color, but the school-age child understands that the same element can exist
in two classes at the same time.
Refers to the degree to which the client, and in some cases the caregiver, follows the therapeutic
regimen with respect to medications, exercise, treatments, and/or diet.
(18)
client adherence
Role in which the nurse protects the client's human and legal rights and provides assistance
in asserting those rights if the need arises.
What nursing leaders and educators revised their curricula to reflect.
(16, 17)
client-centered
Physiological developmental change that occurs in the male reproductive system between the ages
of 45 and 60.
The use of critical thinking skills throughout the nursing process to obtain relevant information about the client and to plan and provide effective
care and measure the outcomes of the care provided. Clinical decision making may occur alone or in collaboration with other health care
providers. (12, 27)
climacteric
(1)clinical decision
maker
Nurse with a master's degree in nursing and expertise in a specific area of practice.
Difference between the way things are and the way they ought to be in a clinical situation or
(1)
clinical nurse
specialist (CNS)
(5)clinical nursing
problem
between what one knows and what one needs to know to eliminate the clinical problem.
Description of practices likely to result in favorable outcomes for a particular diagnosis that uses prospectively defined resources to minimize
cost. (49)
clinical pathway
(15)closed-ended
question
Question that limits the client's answers to one or two words; used to clarify previous information or
provide additional information.
Bulging of the tissues at the nail base due to insufficient oxygenation at the periphery resulting from conditions such as chronic emphysema and
congenital heart disease.
(32)
clubbing
Code that defines the ethical principles by which nurses function.
Changes in how people come to perform intellectual operations.
(10)
cognitive
Acquisition of intellectual skills that encompass behaviors such as thinking, understanding, and
evaluating.
A sense of unity within, gained through activities that nurture the mind and the spirit.
(28)
coherence
Inflammatory condition of the large intestine.
Working together of health care team members in the delivery of care to a client or group of clients.
(45)
colitis
(17)
collaboration
Actual or potential physiological complications that can result from disease, trauma, treatment, or
diagnostic studies for which nurses intervene in collaboration with personnel of other health care
disciplines. (16)
collaborative
problem
(47)collagen
Substance that combines to form the white, glistening, inelastic fibers of tendons, ligaments,
and fasciae.
Pressure that tends to keep fluid in the intravascular compartment.
colloid osmotic
pressure
(40)
colloids
Blood and blood components.
Referring to the establishment of a mass of microorganisms, often nonpathogenic, in or on
the body.
(33)
colonizing
Surgical formation of an opening of the colon onto the surface of the abdomen through which
fecal matter is emptied.
Skillful and gentle performance of a nursing procedure.
(7)
comforting
Law that is created by judicial decisions as opposed to law created by legislative bodies
(statutory law).
Any disease that can be transmitted from one person or animal to another by direct or indirect
contact or by vectors.
(33)
communicable
Means by which people interact.
Acute and chronic care of individuals and families that enhances their capacity for self-care and
promotes autonomy in decision making.
(23)
communication
(3)
community-based
Approach that merges knowledge from the public health sciences with professional nursing theories to safeguard and improve the health of
populations in the community.
Inactive protein compound found in blood serum that is activated when an antigen and an antibody
bind together. After a complement is activated, a
(3)
community health
nursing
(33)
complement
rapid sequence of catalytic activity changes the shape of antigenic cells.
Pairs of incomplete proteins that, when combined, supply the total amount of protein provided by
complete protein sources.
(43)
complementary
proteins
(35)complementary
therapies
Therapies used in addition to conventional treatment recommended by the person's health
care provider.
Bath given to clients who are totally dependent and require total hygiene care.
(38)
complete bed bath
Person's fulfillment of the prescribed course of treatment.
(25)
computer-based
patient care record
(CPCR)
(34)
concentration
Substance, particularly a liquid, that has been strengthened and reduced in volume through
evaporation or other means.
Difference between two concentrations.
concentration gradient
(46)
concentric tension
Increased muscle contraction resulting in muscle shortening with movement resulting.
Metacognitive tool that assists learners in developing a self-appraisal of their own individual thinking processes and in considering the context
of nursing practice in the conceptualization of client problems.
(17)
concept map
Mental formulations of objects or events that come from individual perceptual experience.
Thought process based on concrete rather than abstract points of reference.
(11)
concrete operations
Thin rubber sheath that fits over the penis to prevent entrance of sperm into the vagina.
Transfer of heat from one object to another with direct contact.
condom
(31)
conduction
Form of hearing loss in which sound is inadequately conducted through the external or middle ear to the sensorineural apparatus of the
inner ear.
Privacy; a nurse must maintain the confidentiality of information related to a client's health care.
(48)
conductive hearing
loss
(5, 21)
confidentiality
A Spanish term for caregivers who interact with the client in a personalistic, warm, friendly, and
respectful manner.
A dynamic state in which a system's patterns and rhythms are in harmony with each other.
(8)
confianza
(28)
congruence
Highly contagious eye infection; the crusty drainage that collects on eyelid margins can
easily spread from one eye to the other.
(32)
conjunctivitis
(49)
conscious sedation
Administration of central nervous system depressant drugs and/or analgesics to supplement topical, local, or regional anesthesia
during surgical or diagnostic procedures.
Utilitarian system of ethics that proposes that the value of something is determined by its
usefulness.
(21)
consequentialism
Condition characterized by difficulty in passing stool or an infrequent passage of hard stool.
Process in which the help of a specialist is sought to identify ways to handle problems in client
management or in the planning and implementation of programs.
(17, 25)
consultations
Formal educational programs designed to further the knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes
of practicing nurses.
Prevention of pregnancy by means of a medication, device, or method that blocks or
alters one or more of the processes of reproduction in such a way that sexual union can
occur without impregnation.
continuing education
(27)
contraception
The process of changing what interferes with the individual's process to return to the status quo or
to effect a change that is least disruptive.
Period of recovery after an illness, injury, or surgery.
(28)
control
(49)
convalescence
Transfer of heat away by air movement.
A person's ability and resources to manage psychological stress.
(31)
convection
(30)
coping
Temperature of deep body tissues and organs.
(31)
core temperature
(18)
counseling
Implementation method that helps the client use a problem-solving process to recognize and manage stress and that facilitates interpersonal relationships between the client and the family,
significant others, or the health care team.
Form of self-directed imagery that is based on the principal of mind-body connectivity.
(35)
creative visualization
Acts that violate a law and that may include criminal intent.
Law of crimes and their punishment.
(22)
criminal law
Stressful encounter that presents a change or an obstacle to attaining life goals that is perceived as
insurmountable.
Use of therapeutic techniques directed toward helping a client resolve a particular and
immediate problem.
crisis
(30)
crisis intervention
Tool used in managed care that incorporates the treatment interventions of caregivers from all
disciplines who normally care for a client. Designed for a specific case type, a pathway is used to manage the care of a client throughout a
projected length of stay.
Time when the development of a specific attribute (physical, cognitive, or psychosocial) is most vulnerable to both advantageous and harmful
agents.
(17, 25)
critical pathway
(11)
critical period
Active, organized, cognitive process used to carefully examine one's thinking and the thinking
of others.
Disease involving inflammation of the small intestine.
(14)
critical thinking
(45)
Crohn's disease
Gait assumed by a person on crutches by alternately bearing weight on one or both legs and
on the crutches.
(36)
crutch gait
(40)
crystalloids
Intravenous (IV) fluid and electrolyte therapy.
A counterculture effect when experience with the new or different culture is extremely negative and
the culture is then rejected.
(8)
cultural backlash
Adapt or negotiate with others for a beneficial or satisfying health outcome.
Retain and/or preserve relevant care values so that clients can maintain their well-being, recover
from illness, or face handicaps and/or death.
Physical circumstances in which a person works or lives; can increase the likelihood that certain
(8)
cultural care
preservation and
maintenance
Reorder, change, or greatly modify clients' lifeways for a new, different, and beneficial health
care plan.
Using one's own values and lifeways as the absolute guide in dealing with clients and
interpreting their behaviors.
(8)
cultural care
repatterning and
restructuring
(8)cultural imposition
May be suffered by a client whose valued way of life is disregarded by practitioners.
(8)
cultural pain
(21)
cultural values
Unique, individual expressions of a particular culture that have been accepted as appropriate
over time.
Care that fits the people's valued life patterns and set of meanings.
illnesses will occur (e.g. some kinds of cancer and other diseases are mo re likely to develop when industrial workers are exposed to certain
culturally congruent
care
(8)
culture
Nonphysical traits such as values, beliefs, attitudes, and customs shared by a group and
passed from one generation to the next.
Illnesses constituted by the personal, social, and cultural explanations and reactions of a given
society to perceived dysfunctions or abnormalities in its members.
(8)
culture bond
syndrome
cutaneous
stimulation
Stimulation of a person's skin to prevent or reduce pain perception. A massage, warm bath,
application of liniment, hot and cold therapies, and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation are
some ways to reduce pain perception.
Fold of skin that hides the root of the nail.
(38)
cuticle
Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by deoxygenated hemoglobin
in the blood or a structural defect in hemoglobin.
Inflammation of the urinary bladder characterized by pain, urgency, and frequency of urination.
chemicals or when people live near toxic waste disposal sites).
(44)
cystitis
Portion of the vaginal wall and bladder that has prolapsed or fallen into the anterior vaginal
orifice.
Rupturing of a cell wall, usually occurring after water or ions have entered the cell.
(32)
cystocele
(33)
cytolysis
Set of dietary standards for eight nutrients and food categories.
A type of documentation note that includes D— data (both subjective and objective), A—action or
(43)
daily values
(25)
DAR
nursing intervention, and R—response of the client (i.e., evaluation of effectiveness).
Obvious color of intact dark skin that remains unchanged (does not blanch) when pressure is applied over a bony prominence, irrespective of
the client's race or ethnicity.
(47)
darkly pigmented
skin
(15)
database
practices, past illnesses, present illnesses, and physical examination combined to serve as the
basis for the plan of care.
Removal of dead tissue from a wound.
(47)
debridement
Process that enables a child to concentrate on more than one aspect of a situation.
Process by which managers and staff become more actively involved in shaping a health care
organization's identity and determining its success.
(20)
decentralized
Process involving critical appraisal of information that results from recognition of a problem and ends with the generation, testing, and evaluation
of a conclusion.
Harm of the reputation of a person by libel or slander.
(22)
defamation of
Passage of feces from the digestive tract through the rectum.
Cluster of signs and symptoms that are observed in the client and that imply a specific nursing
diagnosis. (45)
defecation
(16)defining
characteristics
Separation of a wound's edges that reveals underlying tissues. (47, 49)
dehiscence
(40)dehydration
Excessive loss of water from the body tissues, accompanied by a disturbance of body
electrolytes.
Process of assigning another member of the health care team aspects of client care (e.g., assigning nurse assistants to bathe a client).
delegation
(13)
delirium
Syndrome involving impairment of memory and other cognitive abilities and characterized by
clouding of consciousness.
Progressive, organic mental state characterized by chronic personality disintegration, confusion,
disorientation, decreased intellectual function, and other cognitive changes, which can have a
variety of causes.
(13)
dementia
The stage in which the individual acts as though nothing has happened and may refuse to believe
or understand that a loss has occurred.
Study that proposes a system of ethics that defines actions as right or wrong based on their
"right-making characteristics such as fidelity to promises, truthfulness, and justice" (Beauchamp
and Childress, 2001).
(21)
deontology
Mood disturbance characterized by feelings of sadness and discouragement resulting from and
abnormally proportionate to some personal loss or tragedy.
Inflammation of skin characterized by itching, redness, and skin lesions.
(32)
dermatitis
Area on the surface of a body innervated by afferent fibers from one spinal root.
Layer of skin just below the epidermis that contains blood and lymphatic vessels, nerves and
nerve endings, glands, and hair follicles.
(49)
dermatome
(38, 47)
dermis
The first level of theory development.
To remove a poison or its effects from a client.
(4)
descriptive theory
(34)
detoxify
Qualitative or observable aspects of the progressive changes an individual makes in
adapting to the environment.
(11)
development
(30)
developmental crises
Crises that occur when a person is unable to complete the developmental tasks of a psychosocial stage and is therefore unable to
continue developing.
Groups of clients classified for purposes of measuring a hospital's delivery of care.
(2, 25)
diagnosis-related
groups (DRGs)
Process of determining a client's health status and evaluating the factors that influence that
status.
Process that enables an observer to assign meaning and to classify phenomena in clinical situations by integrating observations and critical
thinking.
(4)
diagnostic reasoning
Secretion of sweat, especially profuse secretion associated with an elevated body temperature,
physical exertion, or emotional stress.
Round rubber dome that has a flexible spring around the edge.
(27)
diaphragm
Respiration in which the abdomen moves out while the diaphragm descends on inspiration.
Increase in the number of stools and the passage of liquid, unformed feces.
(39)
diaphragmatic
breathing
(45)
diarrhea
Minimum level of blood pressure measured between contractions of the heart.
Format presenting a range of acceptable intake in place of absolute values.
(31)
diastolic pressure
(43)
dietary reference
Process by which cells and structures become modified and develop more refined
characteristics.
(10, 11)
differentiation
(40)