{100%correct}Graded A+
1. Abrupt Sudden.
Example: The nurse noticed an abrupt change in the
patient's level of pain.
2. Abstain To voluntarily refrain from something.
Example: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to
abstain from smoking to improve his breath odor.
3. Access A means to obtain entry or a mean of approach.
Example: To administer medications into the patient's
vein, the nurse must access the vein with a special nee-
dle.
4. Accountable Responsible.
Example: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining
up-to-date knowledge of resuscitation techniques.
5. Adhere To hole fast or stick together.
Example: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to
hold the bandage in place.
6. Adverse Undesired, possibly harmful.
Example: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medica-
tions.
7. Affect Appearance of observable emotions.
Example: The nurse observed that a depressed patient
exhibited no obvious emotion and reported that the pa-
tient had a flat affect.
8. Annual Occurring every year.
Example: The patient told the nurse that she had sched-
, HESI Entrance Exam
uled her annual mammogram, as she had been instruct-
ed.
9. Apply To place, put on, or spread something.
Example: The physical therapist will apply a medication to
the wound before covering the wound with a bandage.
10. Audible Able to be heard.
Example: The respiratory therapist noticed that when the
patient was having difficulty breathing, the therapist could
hear an audible wheezing sound.
11. Bilateral Present on two sides.
Example: The unlicensed assistive personnel reported to
the nurse that the patient had bilateral weakness in the
legs when walking.
12. Cardiac Of or relating to the heart.
Example: Smoking increases the risk of cardiac disease.
13. Cast Hard protective device applied to protect a broken bone
while the bone heals.
Example: The nurse instructed the child that he could not
go swimming while the cast was on his broken arm.
14. Cavity An opening or an empty area.
Example: The nurse inspected the patient's oral cavity for
lesions.
15. Cease Come to an end or bring to an end.
Example: Because the patient's breathing had ceases,
the paramedic began resuscitation measures.
, HESI Entrance Exam
16. Compensatory Offsetting or making up for something.
Example: When the patient's blood pressure decreased,
the paramedic noted that the heart rate increased, which
the paramedic recognized as a compensatory action.
17. Complication An undesired problem that is the result of some other
event.
Example: The physician told the patient that the loss of
eyesight is a possible complication of eye surgery.
18. Comply Do as directed.
Example: The nurse asked the patient to comply with the
instructions for taking the medication.
19. Concave Rounded inward.
Example: The dietician noticed that the patient was very
thing and the patient's abdomen appeared concave.
20. Concise Brief, to the point.
Example: When teaching a patient, the nurse tried to be
concise, so the instructions would be easy to remember.
21. Consistency Degree of viscosity; how thick or thin a fluid is.
Example: The respiratory therapist noticed that the mucus
the patient was coughing was of a thin, watery consisten-
cy.
22. Constrict To draw together or become smaller.
Example: The nurse knows that the small blood vessels
of the skin will constrict when ice is applied to the skin.
23. Contingent Dependent.