VOCABULARY/ UNIT 1 STUDY GUIDE
CLINICAL NURSING SKILLS
health care-associated infection /HAI: - infection not present on admission to a health
care setting; acquired during the course of treatment for other conditions
medical asepsis: - clean technique; involves procedures and practices that reduce the
number and transfer of pathogens
pathogen: - disease-producing microorganism
personal protective equipment (PPE): - equipment and supplies necessary to minimize
or prevent exposure to infectious material, including gloves, gowns, masks, and
protective eye gear
standard precautions: - precautions used in the care of all hospitalized patients
regardless of their diagnosis or possible infection status; these precautions apply to
blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions (except sweat), non intact skin, and
mucous membranes
transmission-based precautions: - precautions used in addition to Standard Precautions
for patients in hospitals who are suspected of being infected with pathogens that can be
transmitted by airborne, droplet, or contact routes; these precautions encompass all the
diseases or conditions previously listed in the disease-specific or category-specific
classifications
apnea: - absence of breathing
blood pressure: - force of blood against arterial walls
bradypnea: - abnormally slow rate of breathing
diaphragm: - of stethoscope/ large, flat disk on the stethoscope used to auscultate high-
pitched sounds, such as respiratory sounds
diastolic pressure: - least amount of pressure exerted on arterial walls, which occurs
when the heart is at rest between ventricular contractions
expiration: - act of breathing out; synonym is exhalation
febrile: - a condition in which the body temperature is elevated
hypertension: - blood pressure elevated above the upper limit of normal
, hypotension: - blood pressure below the lower limit of normal
hypothermia: - body temperature below the lower limit of normal
inspiration: - act of breathing in; synonym is inhalation
Korotkoff sounds: - series of sounds that correspond to changes in blood flow through
an artery as pressure is released
orthopnea: - a condition in which people with dyspnea can often breath more easily in
an upright position
orthostatic hypotension: - temporary fall in blood pressure associated with assuming an
upright position; synonym for postural hypotension
pulse /peripheral: - a throbbing sensation that can be palpated (felt) over a peripheral
artery, such as the radial artery or the carotid artery
pulse pressure: - the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures
respiration: - act of breathing and using oxygen in body cells
systolic pressure: - highest point of pressure on arterial walls when the ventricles
contract
tachypnea: - abnormally rapid rate of breathing
temperature: - the difference between the amount of heat produced by the body and the
amount of heat lost to the environment measured in degrees
vital signs: - indicators of physiologic functioning; body temperature, pulse, respiratory
rates, and blood pressure
activities of daily living /ADLs: - daily self-care activities within person's place of
residence and/or in outdoor environments
adventitious breath sounds: - sounds that are not normally heard in the lungs on
auscultation
ascites: - accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity
auscultation: - act of listening with a stethoscope to sounds produced within the body
body mass index (BMI): - a ratio of weight /in kilograms, to height /in meters, used as an
indicator of total body fat stores in the general population, and to estimate relative risk
for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes
CLINICAL NURSING SKILLS
health care-associated infection /HAI: - infection not present on admission to a health
care setting; acquired during the course of treatment for other conditions
medical asepsis: - clean technique; involves procedures and practices that reduce the
number and transfer of pathogens
pathogen: - disease-producing microorganism
personal protective equipment (PPE): - equipment and supplies necessary to minimize
or prevent exposure to infectious material, including gloves, gowns, masks, and
protective eye gear
standard precautions: - precautions used in the care of all hospitalized patients
regardless of their diagnosis or possible infection status; these precautions apply to
blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions (except sweat), non intact skin, and
mucous membranes
transmission-based precautions: - precautions used in addition to Standard Precautions
for patients in hospitals who are suspected of being infected with pathogens that can be
transmitted by airborne, droplet, or contact routes; these precautions encompass all the
diseases or conditions previously listed in the disease-specific or category-specific
classifications
apnea: - absence of breathing
blood pressure: - force of blood against arterial walls
bradypnea: - abnormally slow rate of breathing
diaphragm: - of stethoscope/ large, flat disk on the stethoscope used to auscultate high-
pitched sounds, such as respiratory sounds
diastolic pressure: - least amount of pressure exerted on arterial walls, which occurs
when the heart is at rest between ventricular contractions
expiration: - act of breathing out; synonym is exhalation
febrile: - a condition in which the body temperature is elevated
hypertension: - blood pressure elevated above the upper limit of normal
, hypotension: - blood pressure below the lower limit of normal
hypothermia: - body temperature below the lower limit of normal
inspiration: - act of breathing in; synonym is inhalation
Korotkoff sounds: - series of sounds that correspond to changes in blood flow through
an artery as pressure is released
orthopnea: - a condition in which people with dyspnea can often breath more easily in
an upright position
orthostatic hypotension: - temporary fall in blood pressure associated with assuming an
upright position; synonym for postural hypotension
pulse /peripheral: - a throbbing sensation that can be palpated (felt) over a peripheral
artery, such as the radial artery or the carotid artery
pulse pressure: - the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures
respiration: - act of breathing and using oxygen in body cells
systolic pressure: - highest point of pressure on arterial walls when the ventricles
contract
tachypnea: - abnormally rapid rate of breathing
temperature: - the difference between the amount of heat produced by the body and the
amount of heat lost to the environment measured in degrees
vital signs: - indicators of physiologic functioning; body temperature, pulse, respiratory
rates, and blood pressure
activities of daily living /ADLs: - daily self-care activities within person's place of
residence and/or in outdoor environments
adventitious breath sounds: - sounds that are not normally heard in the lungs on
auscultation
ascites: - accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity
auscultation: - act of listening with a stethoscope to sounds produced within the body
body mass index (BMI): - a ratio of weight /in kilograms, to height /in meters, used as an
indicator of total body fat stores in the general population, and to estimate relative risk
for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes
