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abuse
causing physical or emotional harm to someone in your care
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abduction
moving an arm or leg away from the center of the body
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abnormality
condition different from the normal
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active neglect
failing to provide needed care on purpose
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active range of motion
range of motion exercises performed by the person himself or herself
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activites of daily living (ADL)
common daily tasks such as dressing, eating, grooming, or bathing
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activity coordinator
staff member responsible for planning and carrying out social activities for the residents
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acute pain
sudden onset not long lasting
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adduction
moving an arm or leg toward the center of the body
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admission
steps followed when a resident is first brought to the facility
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advance directive (living will)
instructions by a resident about what steps to take or not to take to extend life as the resident approaches death
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aligned
formed into a straight line
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allergy
hypersenstive reaction of the body to specific food or substance called an allergen
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alveoli
tiny air sacs in the lungs
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alzheimer's disease
chronic degenerative brain disease resulting in loss of memory, personality, and judgement
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ambulation
to walk in upright position, or assist someone to walk
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ambulation device
a device used to assist in walking: a cane, crutch, walker, physical therapy bars, or quad cane
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ambulatory
able to walk in an upright position
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amino acids
units of protein structure
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anatomy
parts of the body
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angina
acute pain in the chest from low blood supply to the heart
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anxiety
a feeling of worry or uneasiness
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apathy
a feeling of indifference or lack of emotion
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aphasia
loss of the ability to use language effectively
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apical (apical pulse)
heart rate measured with a stethoscope near the heart
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arrhythmia
an abnormal rhythm in the heartbeat
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arteries
blood vessels which carry oxygenated blood away from the heart
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arterioles
tiny arteries which carry blood from large arteries to capillaries
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arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries
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arthritis
chronic disease of the joints resulting in stiffness and pain
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asepsis
preventing the growth and spread of dangerous microorganisms
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aspiration
inhaling of food, liquid, mucus, or vomitus into air passage
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assault
physical violence or a threat to use violence against someone
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asthma
a disease of the bronchi, causing narrowness of air passages and difficulty breathing
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atrium
upper chamber of the heart
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atrophy
wasting away of muscle with muscle becoming smaller and weaker
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autoclave
a machine used to kill all microorganisms on medical instruments or supplies
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axillary
relating to the armpit
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baseline assessment
first observations made on a new resident
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base of support
the area on which an object rests. relating to your body, the base of support is your feet when standing and your hips when sitting
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battery
actually using violence against someone
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behavior
action that can be observed and measured
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bifocal
two different prescriptions in one eyeglass lens
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bile
substance manufactured by liver, stored by gallbladder; aids in the digestion of fats
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blood pressure
force of blood against artery walls
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body language
communicating through posture or facial expressionor actions
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bronchi
tubes which connect trachea to lungs
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bronchitis
inflammaton of the bronchi
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bursa
a pad of cartilage that keeps bones from rubbing together
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bursitis
inflammation of the bursa at a joint
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capillaries
small blood vessels which carry nutrients to individual cells
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carbohydrates
sugars and starches, the chemicals in foods that supply quick energy
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calorie
unit for measuring the amount of energy the body can get from a food
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cardiovascular
refers to heart and blood vessels
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career path
a group of positions in the same field with each requiring more training and offering more responsibility and more pay than the preceding one
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cataract
clouding of the lens of the eye
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catastrophic reaction
a sudden tantrum or burst of anger
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cc
cubic centimeter, a metric unit for measuring fluids; 1000 cc's = roughly 1 quart
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CDC
see centers for diease control and prevention
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CPU
central processing unit, the heart of a computer, where the main memory and processing take place
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celsius
the system of temperature measurement used in the metric system
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center of gravity
place where the mass or weight of an object is centered (for example, your center of gravity is higher when you are standing up then when you are lying on the ground)
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centers for disease control and prevention (CDC)
the government agency that investigates outbreaks of diseases and sets standards to try to prevent the spread of diseases
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centigrade
a former name for celsius
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centimeter
metric measurement of height; 1 cm = 1/100 of a meter. about 0.39 inch
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cerebral palsy
chronic disease of the nervous system resulting in uncontrolled movement
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cerebral vascular accident or CVA
see stroke
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chart
the chart contains the healthcare plan, the physician's orders, and all the health information on one particular resident. it is a legal document and must be maintained properly.
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chronic
ongoing, lasing a long time
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chronic brain syndrome (alzheimer's type dementia)
large areas of the brain stop functioning, causing memory loss, fear, and poor judgement
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chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
a lung condition arising from repeated injury of the tissue, with tissues becoming less elastic and breathing becoming difficult
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chronic pain
constant, long lasting and on-going, lasts over six months
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chronological
written in the order in which the events occurred
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cilia
microscopic hair-like appendages that sweep foreign matter out of the trachea and bronchi
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clean
considered to be free from pathogens
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client
a person receiving nursing assistant care in his or her own home instead of a long term care facility
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closed urinary drainage system
the complete catheter drainage unit which connects the catheter, drainage tube, and collection container
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CNA
a certified nursing assistant who has successfully completed an approved certification training program including a written and/or manual skills test, and who has received a certificate by the state
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code of ethics
an agreed-upon set of moral principles or values
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colon
the large intestine
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communication
exchange of information or opinions
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compassion
sorrow for the suffering of others with the desire to help
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concentrated
containing less water
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confidentiality
not revealing information about residents except within the healthcare team
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contracture
shortening of muscle due to inactivity
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contraindicated
not acceptable for treatment of a condition
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culture
a set of customs belonging to a particular nation or people
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cursor
usually a small arrow, flashing line ot block that appears on the computer screen. it is controlled with the mouse to operate items on the screen
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cyanosis
bluish color of skin due to lack of oxygen
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cystitis
infection of the bladder
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decubitus ulcer (pressure sore)
an open sore on the skin caused by tissue breakdown due to pressure and reduced blood flow
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defecate
eliminate fecal waste, have a bowel movement
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degeneration
worsening condition
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dehydration
condition in which gluid output is greater than fluid intake
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dermis
inner layer of skin
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dementia
mental deterioration
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depression
feelings of sadness, dejection, worthlessness helplessness, or hopelessness. depression may be symptomatic of a mental or physical condition, or part of syndrome of related symptoms associated with a particular disease, such as diabetes or thyroid abnormalities.
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diastolic
blood pressure when the heart relaxes
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disc
cushions of tissue between the bones of the spine
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discharge
steps followed when a resident is released from the facility
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dressing
clean, cloth covering for a wound or sore
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drip chamber
the small area under the IV bag or bottle that the fluid drips into
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duodenum
first loop of small intestine where most of digestion occurs
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edema
swelling due to increased fluid in the tissues
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elasticity
ability to expand and contract
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electrolyte
a fluid that conducts electricity
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embolism
blockage of a blood vessel, often by a blood clot
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emesis basin
small, curved basin placed under a resident's chin and used for resident to expectorate into
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empathy
ability to experience the feelings and thoughts of another person
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enema
insertion of fluid into the rectum and colon
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epidermis
outer layer of skin
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