MINNESOTA CNA TERMS
Abuse - ANS -The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or
punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish
Advance Directives - ANS -A document that makes a person's wishes known regarding
life support issues in the event they are unable to speak for themselves
Aphasia* - ANS -A brain injury that impairs the expression and understanding of
language as well as reading and writing
Chain of Command* - ANS -A list of who reports or answers to whom
Confidentiality* - ANS -Not sharing spoken and/or written words about a resident
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care - ANS -Advance directive authorizing another
person to make a variety of legal decisions for a person if that person is unable to make
or communicate a decision. This document usually included decisions about health care
Ethics* - ANS -Standards of behavior developed by a person's concept of right and
wrong
Etiquette* - ANS -Acceptable standards of behavior among members of society as they
function in public or work
Exploitation* - ANS -Illegal use of vulnerable adult's property or personal items
Geriatrics* - ANS -Study of the elderly/aging
Involuntary Seclusion - ANS -Separation of a resident from other residents or from
his/her room or confinement to his/her room (with or without roommates) against the
resident's will, or the will of the resident's legal representative. Emergency or short term
monitored separation from other residents will not be considered involuntary seclusion
and may be permitted if used for a limited period of time as a therapeutic intervention to
reduce agitation until professional staff can develop a plan of care to meet the resident's
needs
Job Description* - ANS -Duties and responsibilities involved in a work position
Living Will - ANS -An advance directive about end of life issues
,Neglect - ANS -Failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm
or mental anguish or mental illness
Ombudsman* - ANS -An advocate or representative who speaks or writes in support of
the resident's causes or complaints
Patient - ANS -A person having physical or emotional illness that is receiving care from
health care workers
Resident* - ANS -Person living in a long term care facility, often elderly; may be a
permanent home for a person
Team Work* - ANS -Joint action by a group of people with individual and group skills to
coordinate efforts to efficiently perform tasks
Hemiparesis - ANS -Half paralyzed
Assessment - ANS -A plan of care that states the specific needs of a client and how
those needs will be addressed by the home health care agency. Not performed by
nursing assistants
Assisted Living* - ANS -"Housing with services" renting the housing and buying
assisted living services. Can be all within the same company but isn't always
Case Manager* - ANS -Usually an RN or social worker who screens and manages health
and social services for a client
Client - ANS -Individual receiving health care services in their home from a health care
provider
Developmentally Disabled - ANS -Anyone who has a mental and/or physical impairment,
usually from birth, that will probably continue indefinitely
Discharge Planner - ANS -Usually an RN or social worker in a hospital who assists
patients and families with future care needs after leaving the hospital
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) - ANS -Type of fixed prepaid health insurance
that focuses on maintaining wellness to those enrolled and is not based on frequency or
extent of service
Homebound - ANS -A normal ability to leave home would require a great deal of effort
, Medicaid* - ANS -A program financed jointly my the Federal Government and the State,
that provides health coverage to most low income individuals as well as nursing home
care for low income elderly
Medicare* - ANS -Federally funded health insurance for people 65 and older and for
people with disabilities
Provider - ANS -Refers to doctors, clinics, or other settings that provide health care
Supervisor* - ANS -An RN who provides care and supervises or provides guidance to
home health aides and other care givers who provide care or activity to a client.
Terminal - ANS -Incurable or irreversible condition or disease which most likely will
result in death
Basic Human Needs* - ANS -Requirements everyone needs for life that may be achieved
by different methods
Cognitive - ANS -Intellectual process that includes thought, awareness and the ability to
understand
Coping Mechanisms - ANS -Response to stress one uses to protect his/her feelings of
self-esteem
Culture* - ANS -Lifestyle or patter of living of a group of people and how the group of
people views the world
Development - ANS -The increase in mental, emotional, and social capabilities
Developmental Tasks* - ANS -A wide range or individually varied social, psychological
and emotional behaviors that are part of the life experiences and become evident in
interpersonal skills and interactions
Diversity - ANS -Differences among people that include race, culture, gender, age, and
abilities
Ethnicity* - ANS -Special groups within a race sharing social customs, language,
national origin, and/or heritage
Growth* - ANS -Physical changes that occur in the body; increase in size, values, and
strength
Intervention - ANS -Actions and discussion to discover possible solutions to a problem
Abuse - ANS -The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or
punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish
Advance Directives - ANS -A document that makes a person's wishes known regarding
life support issues in the event they are unable to speak for themselves
Aphasia* - ANS -A brain injury that impairs the expression and understanding of
language as well as reading and writing
Chain of Command* - ANS -A list of who reports or answers to whom
Confidentiality* - ANS -Not sharing spoken and/or written words about a resident
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care - ANS -Advance directive authorizing another
person to make a variety of legal decisions for a person if that person is unable to make
or communicate a decision. This document usually included decisions about health care
Ethics* - ANS -Standards of behavior developed by a person's concept of right and
wrong
Etiquette* - ANS -Acceptable standards of behavior among members of society as they
function in public or work
Exploitation* - ANS -Illegal use of vulnerable adult's property or personal items
Geriatrics* - ANS -Study of the elderly/aging
Involuntary Seclusion - ANS -Separation of a resident from other residents or from
his/her room or confinement to his/her room (with or without roommates) against the
resident's will, or the will of the resident's legal representative. Emergency or short term
monitored separation from other residents will not be considered involuntary seclusion
and may be permitted if used for a limited period of time as a therapeutic intervention to
reduce agitation until professional staff can develop a plan of care to meet the resident's
needs
Job Description* - ANS -Duties and responsibilities involved in a work position
Living Will - ANS -An advance directive about end of life issues
,Neglect - ANS -Failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm
or mental anguish or mental illness
Ombudsman* - ANS -An advocate or representative who speaks or writes in support of
the resident's causes or complaints
Patient - ANS -A person having physical or emotional illness that is receiving care from
health care workers
Resident* - ANS -Person living in a long term care facility, often elderly; may be a
permanent home for a person
Team Work* - ANS -Joint action by a group of people with individual and group skills to
coordinate efforts to efficiently perform tasks
Hemiparesis - ANS -Half paralyzed
Assessment - ANS -A plan of care that states the specific needs of a client and how
those needs will be addressed by the home health care agency. Not performed by
nursing assistants
Assisted Living* - ANS -"Housing with services" renting the housing and buying
assisted living services. Can be all within the same company but isn't always
Case Manager* - ANS -Usually an RN or social worker who screens and manages health
and social services for a client
Client - ANS -Individual receiving health care services in their home from a health care
provider
Developmentally Disabled - ANS -Anyone who has a mental and/or physical impairment,
usually from birth, that will probably continue indefinitely
Discharge Planner - ANS -Usually an RN or social worker in a hospital who assists
patients and families with future care needs after leaving the hospital
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) - ANS -Type of fixed prepaid health insurance
that focuses on maintaining wellness to those enrolled and is not based on frequency or
extent of service
Homebound - ANS -A normal ability to leave home would require a great deal of effort
, Medicaid* - ANS -A program financed jointly my the Federal Government and the State,
that provides health coverage to most low income individuals as well as nursing home
care for low income elderly
Medicare* - ANS -Federally funded health insurance for people 65 and older and for
people with disabilities
Provider - ANS -Refers to doctors, clinics, or other settings that provide health care
Supervisor* - ANS -An RN who provides care and supervises or provides guidance to
home health aides and other care givers who provide care or activity to a client.
Terminal - ANS -Incurable or irreversible condition or disease which most likely will
result in death
Basic Human Needs* - ANS -Requirements everyone needs for life that may be achieved
by different methods
Cognitive - ANS -Intellectual process that includes thought, awareness and the ability to
understand
Coping Mechanisms - ANS -Response to stress one uses to protect his/her feelings of
self-esteem
Culture* - ANS -Lifestyle or patter of living of a group of people and how the group of
people views the world
Development - ANS -The increase in mental, emotional, and social capabilities
Developmental Tasks* - ANS -A wide range or individually varied social, psychological
and emotional behaviors that are part of the life experiences and become evident in
interpersonal skills and interactions
Diversity - ANS -Differences among people that include race, culture, gender, age, and
abilities
Ethnicity* - ANS -Special groups within a race sharing social customs, language,
national origin, and/or heritage
Growth* - ANS -Physical changes that occur in the body; increase in size, values, and
strength
Intervention - ANS -Actions and discussion to discover possible solutions to a problem
