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CNA
Vocabulary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Abduction | moving a body part away from the body. |
| Abuse | purposely causing physical, mental, or emotional pain or injury to someone. |
| Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) | personal care tasks a person does every day to care for him- or herself; include bathing, dressing, caring for teeth and hair, toileting, eating and drinking, and moving around. |
| Activity Therapy | therapy for people with Alzheimer's djsease that uses activities to prevent boredom and frustration. |
| Acute | an illness that has severe symptoms. |
| Acute care | care performed in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. |
| Adaptive Devices | special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform ADLs; also called assistive devices. |
| Adduction | moving a body part toward the body. |
| Adult daycare | care given at a facility during daytime hours; generally for people who need some help but are not seriously ill or disabled. |
| Advance Directives | documents that allow people to choose what kind of medical care they wish to have if they are unable to make those decisions themselves. |
| Affected Side | a weakened side from a stroke or injury; also called the "weaker" or "involved" side. |
| Ageism | prejudice toward, stereotyping of, and/or discrimination against older persons or the elderly. |
| Airborne Precautions | used for diseases that can be transmitted through the air after being expelled. |
| Ambulation | walking. |
| Amputation | removal of some or all of a body part. |
| Angina Pectoris | chest pain. |
| Anxiety | uneasiness or fear, often about a situation or condition. |
| Apathy | a lack of interest. |
| Aphasia | the inability to speak or to speak clearly. |
| Asepsis | term meaning that no infection is present. |
| Aspiration | the inhalation of food or drink into the lungs; can cause pneumonia or death. |
| Assault | when a person feels fearful that he will be touched without his permission. |
| Assisted Living | facilities where residents live who need some assistance; they do not usually require skilled care. |
| Assistive Devices | special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform ADLs; also called adaptive devices. |
| Atrophy | the wasting away, decreasing in size, and weakening of muscles. |
| Autoimmune illness | condition in which the body's immune system attacks normal tissue in the body. |
| Battery | when a person is touched without his or her permission. |
| Blood-borne Pathogens | microorganisms found in human blood; can cause infection and disease in humans. |
| Body Mechanics | the way the parts of the body work together whenever a person moves. |
| Bony Prominences | areas of the body where the bone lies close to the skin. |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | medical procedures used when a person's heart or lungs have stopped working. |
| Care Plan | a plan developed for each resident to achieve certain goals. |
| Care Team | people with different education and experience who help care for residents. |
| Catastrophic Reaction | overreacting to something in an unreasonable way. |
| Catheter | a tube used to drain urine from the bladder. |
| C. Difficile | a bacterial illness that can cause diarrhea and colitis; spread by spores in feces that are difficult to kill. |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | a federal government agency that issues guidelines to protect and improve health. |
| Chain of Command | the order of authority within a facility. |
| Chain of Infection | a way to describe how disease is transmitted from one living being to another. |
| Charting | writing down information. |
| Chronic | refers to the fact that a disease or condition is long-term or long-lasting. |
| Cliches | phrases that are used over and over again and do not really mean anything. |
| Closed Bed | a bed completely made with the bedspread and blankets in place. |
| Cognition | the ability to think logically and quickly. |
| Combative | violent or hostile behavior. |
| Combustion | the process of burning. |
| Communication | the process of exchanging information with others. |
| Compassionate | caring, concerned, empathetic, and understanding. |
| Condom Catheter | an external catheter that has an attachment on the end that fits onto the penis; also called a Texas catheter. |
| Confidentiality | keeping private things private. |
| Confusion | the inability to think clearly. |
| Conscientious | always trying to do one's best. |
| Considerate | being understanding of residents' feelings and privacy. |
| Constipation | the difficult and often painful elimination of a hard, dry stool. |
| Constrict | to close. |
| Contact Precautions | used when a resident is at risk of transmitting or contracting a microorganism from touching an infected object or person. |
| Contractures | the permanent and often painful stiffening of a joint and muscle. |
| Cultural Diversity | the variety of people living and working together in the world. |
| Culture | a system of behaviors people learn from the people they grow up and live with. |
| Dangle | to sit up with the feet over the side of the bed to regain balance. |
| Defense Mechanisms | unconscious behaviors used to release tension or cope with stress. |
| Dehydration | a serious condition in which there is not enough fluid in the body. |
| Delusions | believing things that are not true. |
| Dementia | a serious loss of mental abilities such as thinking, remembering, reasoning, and communicating. |
| Dentures | artificial teeth. |
| Dependable | being on time and helping others when they need it. |
| Diabetes | a condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin; causes problems with circulation and can damage vital organs. |
| Diagnosis | a medical condition. |
| Diastolic | phase when the heart relaxes. |
| Diet Cards | cards that list the resident"s name and information about special diets, allergies, likes and dislikes, and other instructions. |
| Digestion | the process of breaking down food so that it can be absorbed into the cells. |
| Dilate | to widen. |
| Disinfection | measure used to decrease the spread of pathogens and disease by destroying pathogens. |
| Disorientation | confusion about time or place. |
| Diuretics | drugs that reduce fluid in the body. |
| Domestic Violence | abuse by spouses or intimate partners. |
| Dorsiflexion | bending backward. |
| Double-Bagging | putting waste in a trash bag, closing it, and putting the first bag in a second, clean trash bag and closing it. |
| Draw Sheets | turning sheets that are placed under residents who are unable to assist with turning, lifting, or moving up in bed. |
| Droplet Precautions | used when the disease-causing microorganism does not stay suspended in the air and travels only short distances after being expelled. |
| Dysphagia | difficulty swallowing. |
| Edema | swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues. |
| Elimination | the process of expelling solid wastes that are not absorbed into the cells. |
| Emotional Lability | laughing or crying without any reason, or when it is inappropriate. |
| Empathy | being able to enter into the feelings of others. |
| Enema | a specific amount of water flowed into the colon to eliminate stool. |
| Ergonomics | the practice of designing equipment and work tasks to suit the worker's abilities. |
| Ethics | the knowledge of right and wrong. |
| Expiration | exhaling air out of the lungs. |
| Extension | straightening a body part. |
| False Imprisonment | the unlawful restraint of someone which affects the person's freedom of movement; includes both the threat of being physically restrained and actually being physically restrained. |
| Fecal Impaction | a hard stool stuck in the rectum that cannot be expelled. |
| Financial Abuse | stealing, taking advantage of, or improperly using the money, property, or other assets of another. |
| First Aid | care given in an emergency before trained medical professionals can take over. |
| Flammable | easily ignited and capable of burning quickly. |
| Flexion | bending a body part. |
| Fluid Balance | maintaining equal input and output, or taking in and eliminating equal amounts of fluid. |
| Fluid Overload | a condition in which the body is unable to handle the amount of fluid consumed. |
| Fowler's | position with the person partially reclined. |
| Fracture Pan | a bedpan used for residents who cannot assist with raising their hips onto a regular bedpan. |
| Gait | manner of walking. |
| Gastrostomy | an opening in the stomach and the abdomen. |
| Gestational Diabetes | a condition in which pregnant women who have never had diabetes before have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. |
| Glands | structures that secrete fluids. |
| Hallucinations | seeing or hearing things that are not there. |
| Hand Hygiene | hand-washing with soap and water and using alcohol-based hand rubs. |
| Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) | a law that requires health information be kept private and secure; organizations must take special steps to protect health information. |
| Hemiparesis | weakness on one side of the body. |
| Hemiplegia | paralysis on one side of the body, weakness, or loss of movement. |
| Hepatitis | the inflammation of the liver caused by different viruses. |
| Hoarding | collecting and putting things away in a guarded way. |
| Home Care | care provided in a person's home. |
| Homeostasis | the name for the condition in which all of the body's systems are working their best. |
| Hormones | chemicals that control numerous body functions. |
| Hospice | care for individuals who have six months or less to live; provides physical and emotional care and comfort. |
| Hypertension | high blood pressure. |
| Incident | an accident or an unexpected event during the course of care. |
| Incontinence | the inability to control the bladder or bowels. |
| Indwelling Catheter | a catheter that stays in the bladder for a period of time. |
| Infection Control | set of methods used to control and prevent the spread of disease. |
| Inflammation | swelling. |
| Informed Consent | the process in which a person, with the help of his doctor, makes informed decisions about his health care. |
| Inspiration | breathing air into the lungs. |
| Insulin | a hormone that converts glucose, or natural sugar, into energy for the body. |
| Intake | the fluid a person consumes. |
| Intravenous (IV) | into a vein. |
| Involuntary Seclusion | confinement or separation from others in a certain area; done without consent or against one's will. |
| Lateral | position with person on his or her side. |
| Laws | rules set by the government to protect the people and to help them live peacefully together. |
| Liability | a legal term that means someone can be held responsible for harming someone else. |
| Localized Infection | an infection limited to a specific part of the body; the infection has local symptoms. |
| Logrolling | moving a person as a unit, without disturbing the alignment of the body. |
| Long-Term Care (LTC) | care for persons who require 24-hour care and assistance. |
| Masturbation | to touch or rub sexual organs in order to give oneself or another person sexual pleasure. |
| Menopause | the stopping of menstrual periods. |
| Metabolism | the body's physical and chemical processes. |
| Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) | an infectious disease caused by bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics. |
| Microorganism | a tiny living thing always present in the environment; not visible to the eye without a microscope. |
| Modified Diet | a special diet for people who have certain illnesses; also called special or therapeutic diet. |
| Nasogastric Tube | a special feeding tube that is inserted into the nose going to the stomach. |
| Neglect | failing to provide needed care. |
| Negligence | the failure to provide the proper care for a resident, resulting in unintended injury. |
| Nonverbal Communication | communication without using words. |
| Non-Weight Bearing (NWB) | the inability to support any weight on one or both legs. |
| Nosocomial Infection | an infection acquired in a hospital or other healthcare facility; also known as hospital-acquired infection (HAI). |
| Nutrition | how the body uses food to maintain health. |
| Objective Information | information based on what is seen, heard, touched, or smelled. |
| OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) | law passed by the federal government that established minimum standards for nursing assistant training. |
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | disorder in which a person uses obsessive behavior to cope with anxiety. |
| Obstructed Airway | a condition in which a person has something blocking the tube through which air enters the lungs. |
| Occupied Bed | a bed made while a person is in the bed. |
| Ombudsman | a legal advocate for residents who visits the facility, listens to residents, and decides what course of action to take if there is a problem. |
| Open Bed | folding the linen down to the foot of the bed. |
| Oral Care | care of the mouth, teeth, and gums. |
| OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) | a federal government agency that makes rules to protect workers from hazards on the job. |
| Osteoarthritis | a type of arthritis that usually affects hips and knees and joints of the fingers, thumbs, and spine. |
| Osteoporosis | a condition in which the bones become brittle and weak; may be due to age, lack of hormones, not enough calcium in bones, alcohol, or lack of exercise. |
| Ostomy | the surgical removal of a portion of the intestines. |
| Outpatient Care | care usually provided for less than 24 hours for persons who have had treatments or surgery requiring short-term skilled care. |
| Output | eliminated fluid in urine, feces, and vomit; it also includes perspiration and moisture in the air that is exhaled. |
| Pacing | walking back and forth in the same area. |
| Palliative | care that focuses on the comfort and dignity of the person, rather than on curing him or her. |
| Panic Disorder | a disorder in which a person is terrified for no known reason. |
| Paraplegia | loss of function of lower body and legs. |
| Partial weight bearing (PWB) | the ability to support some weight on one or both legs. |
| Pathogens | harmful microorganisms. |
| PEC Tube | a feeding tube placed through the skin directly into the stomach. |
| Perineum | the area between the genitals and anus. |
| Perseverating | the repetition of a word, phrase, question, or activity over and over. |
| Personal | refers to life outside one's job, such as family, friends, and home life. |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | a barrier between a person and disease. |
| Phantom Sensation | pain or feeling from a body part that has been amputated |
| Phobia | intense form of anxiety. |
| Physical Abuse | any treatment, intentional or not, that causes harm to a person's body; includes slapping, bruising, cutting, burning, physically restraining, pushing, shoving, or rough handling. |
| Pillaging | taking things that belong to someone else. |
| Policy | a course of action that should be taken every time a certain situation occurs. |
| Portable Commode | a chair with a toilet seat and a removable container underneath. |
| Positioning | helping people into positions that will be comfortable and healthy. |
| Postmortem Care | care of the body after death. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | anxiety-related disorder caused by a traumatic experience. |
| Pre-Diabetes | a condition in which a person's blood glucose levels are above normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. |
| Pressure Points | areas of the body that bear much of its weight. |
| Pressure Sore | a serious wound resulting from skin breakdown; also known as a bed sore or decubitus ulcer. |
| Procedure | a particular method, or way, of doing something. |
| Professional | having to do with work or a job. |
| Professionalism | how a person behaves when he or she is on the job. |
| Pronation | turning downward. |
| Prone | position with person lying on his or her stomach. |
| Prosthesis | an artificial body part. |
| Psychological Abuse | emotionally harming a person by threatening, scaring, humiliating, intimidating, isolating, insulting, or treating him or her as a child; also includes verbal abuse. |
| Psychosocial Needs | needs which involve social interaction, emotions, intellect, and spirituality. |
| Puree | to chop, blend, or grind food into a thick paste of baby food consistency. |
| Quadriplegia | loss of function of legs, trunk, and arms. |
| Radial Pulse | the pulse site found on the inside of the wrist. |
| Range of Motion (ROM) | exercises that put a particular joint through its full arc of motion. |
| Reality Orientation | uses calendars, clocks, signs, and lists to help people with Alzheimer's disease remember who and where they are. |
| Rehabilitation | managed by professionals to restore a person to the highest possible level of functioning after an illness or injury. |
| Reminiscence Therapy | therapy for people with Alzheimer's disease that encourages talking about the past. |
| Reproduce | to create new human life. |
| Residents | the people who live in nursing homes. |
| Residents' Rights | numerous rights identified by the OBRA law for residents in long-term care facilities or nursing homes; purpose is to inform residents and others of their rights within these facilities and to provide an ethical code of conduct for healthcare workers. |
| Respiration | the process of breathing air into the lungs and exhaling air out of the lungs. |
| Restorative Services | care used to keep a person at the level achieved by the rehabilitation team. |
| Restraint | a physical or chemical way to restrict voluntary movement or behavior. |
| Restraint Alternatives | any intervention used in place of a restraint or that reduces the need for a restraint. |
| Restraint-Free | abuse of staff by residents or other staff members; can be verbal, physical, or sexual. |
| Restrict Fluids | a medical order for a person to limit fluids. |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | a type of arthritis in which joints become red, swollen, and very painful, and movement is restricted. |
| Rotation | turning a joint. |
| Scalds | burns caused by hot liquids. |
| Scope of Practice | defines the things a nursing assistant is allowed to do and how to do them correctly. |
| Sexual Abuse | forcing a person to perform or participate in sexual acts. |
| Sexual Harassment | any unwelcome sexual advance or behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. |
| Shock | a condition in which the organs and tissues in the body do not receive adequate blood supply. |
| Skilled Care | medically necessary care given by a skilled nurse or therapist. |
| Sims' | position with person lying on his or her left side with one leg drawn up. |
| Special Diet | a diet for people who have certain illnesses; also called therapeutic or modified diet. |
| Specimen | a sample. |
| Sputum | mucus coughed up from the lungs. |
| Sterilization | measure used to decrease the spread of pathogens and disease by destroying all microorganisms, not just pathogens. |
| Stoma | an artificial opening in the body. |
| Straight Catheter | a catheter that does not stay in the body and is removed immediately after urine is drained. |
| Stress | the state of being frightened, excited, confused, in danger, or irritated. |
| Stressor | something that causes stress. |
| Sub-acute Care | care performed in either a hospital or a traditional nursing home. |
| Subjective Information | information that cannot be or was not observed; based on what a person thinks or something that was reported by another that may or may not be true. |
| Substance Abuse | the use of legal or illegal drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol in a way that harms oneself or others. |
| Supination | turning upward. |
| Supine | position with person lying flat on his or her back. |
| Suppository | a medication given rectally to cause a bowel movement. |
| Sympathy | sharing in the feelings and difficulties of others. |
| Systemic Infection | an infection that occurs when pathogens enter the bloodstream and move throughout the body; causes general symptoms. |
| Systolic | phase where the heart is at work, contracting and pushing blood out of the left ventricle. |
| Tact | the ability to understand what is proper and appropriate when dealing with others. |
| Terminal illness | a disease or condition that will eventually cause death. |
| Therapeutic Diet | a special diet for people who have certain illnesses; also called special or modified diet |
| Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) | a special type of feeding in which a person receives nutrients directly into the bloodstream. |
| Transfer Belt | a belt made of canvas or other heavy material used to assist residents who are weak, unsteady, or uncoordinated; also called a gait belt. |
| Tuberculosis (TB) | a bacterial infection that affects the lungs; causes coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, and fatigue. |
| Tumor | a group of abnormally growing cells. |
| Unoccupied Bed | a bed made while no person is in the bed. |
| Validating | giving value to or approving. |
| Validation Therapy | therapy for people with Alzheimer's disease that lets them believe they live in the past or in imaginary circumstances. |
| Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) | a resistance caused by a person not taking all of a powerful antibiotic called Vancomycin. |
| Verbal Abuse | oral or written words, pictures, or gestures that threaten, embarrass, or insult a person. |
| Verbal Communication | written or spoken messages. |
| Wandering | walking aimlessly around the facility. |
| Workplace Violence | abuse of staff by residents or other staff members; can be verbal, physical, or sexual. |