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Cards (61)
- Blood pressure (BP)Blood pressure measures the amount of force placed on a patient's artery walls with each heartbeat. This is one of the standard vital signs nurses monitor for patients.
- Charge nurseA supervisory nurse who oversees other nurses in a particular hospital department.
- ChartThe medical documentation that follows a patient throughout a healthcare facility. It includes medical history, diagnoses, test results, dosage and timing of medications, and other relevant information.
- ChartingThe process of adding to a patient's chart to keep it up to date and accurate. Nurses often use medical acronyms and abbreviations in their chartings.
- ClinicalsThe portion of nursing education where student nurses work with patients in a healthcare setting, under supervision from nurses and physicians, to practice their technical skills and gain experiences.
- Code blueA medical emergency, often cardiac arrest, that requires immediate attention from a team of healthcare providers. Healthcare workers may shorten code blue to "coding."
- Heart rateThe number of heartbeats a patient has per minute.
- NCLEXRefers to the nursing exam one must pass to become either a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a registered nurse (RN).
- Pain scaleA numeric scale from one to ten that patients use to rate their level of pain. Some healthcare facilities use visual cues like faces to help patients rate their pain levels.
- Respiratory rateThe number of breaths a patient takes per minute.
- SpecimenA sample of something from a patient's body, such as urine, blood, skin or other tissue, that is taken for testing and analysis.
- Vital signs
- Heart rate
- Respiratory rate
- Body temperature
- Pain level
- Blood pressure
- Cardiac nursingA nursing specialty centered around the cardiovascular system (the heart and blood circulation system).
- Dialysis nursingA nursing specialty that focuses on patients who have kidney disease, are experiencing kidney failure or are undergoing dialysis treatments.
- Home health nursingNurses who visit patients in their own homes to provide care.
- ICU nurseNurses who work in the intensive care unit (ICU), typically caring for just one or two patients with severe injuries or ailments at a time.
- Nurse anesthetistNurse anesthetists who administer anesthesia and pain management medication to patients. This role requires specialized advanced training.
- Nursing informaticsNursing informatics who combine practical nursing skills with data analysis and technology to improve patient safety.
- Oncology nursingNurses who care for cancer patients and those being screened for cancer diagnoses.
- Radiology nursingNurses who care for patients who are undergoing diagnostic imaging, such as CT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds.
- ABCThis is the simple way to remember "airway, breathing, circulation," which is the order in which nurses assess and prioritize a patient who is unresponsive or unconscious.
- CABFollowing the CAB acronym helps nurses remember "chest compressions, airway and breathing" as the correct order for performing CPR.
- CBRSeeing this on a patient's chart means "complete bed rest" and refers to a patient who is not allowed out of bed at all, even to use the bathroom.
- CPRCardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure commonly used when a patient has stopped breathing.
- DNRDo Not Resuscitate is an end-of-life health directive given by patients who do not wish to be revived if they stop breathing or go into cardiac arrest.
- EHRElectronic health records (sometimes called electronic medical records, or EMR) are digital medical records that are updated each time a patient visits a healthcare facility.
- ICUIntensive care unit.
- IVIntravenous therapy.
- L&DLabor and delivery.
- NICUNeonatal intensive care unit, where critically ill newborns are cared for.
- OTCMedication that does not require a prescription (over the counter).
- PPESpecialized gear and clothing, such as gloves, masks and face shields, designed to protect both patients and nurses from bacteria and contagious illness (personal protective equipment).
- SOPStandard operating procedures, which describe how nursing tasks are to be performed and the outcome that should be achieved.
- WNLThis charting acronym stands for "within normal limit." This means a patient's activity level, test results and so on are considered typical.
- ADNAssociate's Degree in Nursing.
- APRNThis stands for "advanced practice registered nurse" and refers to nurses who have completed a specialized graduate degree program. In addition to the usual duties of an RN, they can also diagnose and treat patients and choose to practice certain specialties, such as nurse anesthetist.
- BSNBachelor of Science in Nursing.
- CNACertified nursing assistants are not technically nurses, but they do help patients with basic tasks, like bathing and dressing. They may also take vital signs.
- LPNStands for licensed practical nurses. They have a narrower scope of practice than registered nurses but are tasked with a wide variety of nursing duties, such as changing bandages, administering medication, monitoring vital signs and inserting catheters.
- MSNMaster of Science in Nursing.