Vital Signs
This term describes a drop in blood pressure of at least 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic within three minutes of standing up.
What is orthostatic hypotension?
This class of drugs is commonly prescribed to reduce stomach acid and includes omeprazole and pantoprazole.
What are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)?
This is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection.
What is hand hygiene?
This chronic respiratory condition is characterized by episodes of airway narrowing, leading to wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
What is asthma?
This disease, commonly known as high blood pressure, often has no symptoms but can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
What is hypertension?
This type of pulse, felt as strong and throbbing, is commonly seen in patients with high cardiac output conditions like fever or hyperthyroidism.
What is a bounding pulse?
This anticoagulant requires close monitoring of INR levels to maintain therapeutic range.
What is warfarin?
These two types of precautions are used for all patients, regardless of their known infection status.
What are standard and universal precautions?
This type of heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively, often leading to fluid buildup in the lungs.
What is left-sided heart failure?
This medical device measures a patient’s oxygen saturation non-invasively and is commonly placed on the fingertip.
What is a pulse oximeter?
When blood pressure measurements show a consistent drop of more than 10 mmHg in systolic pressure during inhalation, this phenomenon may be present.
What is pulsus paradoxus?
This type of insulin is typically given once daily and has no peak, providing steady basal insulin coverage.
What is long-acting insulin?
This type of precaution is used for patients with tuberculosis and requires a special type of mask or respirator.
What are airborne precautions?
This liver disease, commonly caused by chronic alcohol abuse or hepatitis, results in scarring and impaired liver function.
What is cirrhosis?
This ethical principle in nursing requires acting in the best interest of the patient, even if it conflicts with the nurse’s personal beliefs.
What is beneficence?
The medical term for a heart rate above 100 beats per minute in an adult.
What is tachycardia?
This beta-blocker is commonly prescribed for hypertension and is contraindicated in patients with asthma due to its effect on bronchoconstriction.
What is propranolol?
This phenomenon occurs when antibiotics kill normal flora, allowing harmful bacteria like C. difficile to proliferate.
What is bacterial overgrowth or superinfection?
This type of shock results from severe blood or fluid loss, causing the heart to be unable to pump enough blood to the body.
What is hypovolemic shock?
This is the term for red blood cell breakdown that can lead to jaundice if the liver cannot process the increased bilirubin load.
What is hemolysis?
This specific “sound” is the first audible sound a nurse hears when taking blood pressure, marking the systolic reading.
What is the first Korotkoff sound?
Known as a reversal agent, this drug counteracts the effects of opioids by binding to opioid receptors.
What is naloxone?
This term refers to a microorganism’s ability to withstand an antimicrobial treatment that was once effective.
What is antibiotic resistance?
This progressive neurodegenerative disorder is marked by tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia due to dopamine deficiency.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
This condition, common in hospitalized patients on bed rest, is characterized by sudden onset of chest pain, dyspnea, and hypoxia due to a blockage in a pulmonary artery.
What is a pulmonary embolism?
A difference of fewer than 25 mmHg between systolic and diastolic pressures may indicate this type of “pulse pressure.”
What is a narrowed pulse pressure?
This term describes the time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the bloodstream to reduce by half.
What is the half-life?
This is the minimum time recommended by the CDC for using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to effectively disinfect hands.
What is 20 seconds?
This life-threatening condition is caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection, leading to widespread inflammation and organ dysfunction.
What is sepsis?
his complex, potentially deadly immune response can occur after exposure to certain antibiotics, causing a sudden drop in blood pressure, fever, rash, and multiorgan failure.
What is anaphylactic shock?
This medical term refers to an irregular heart rhythm often detected when taking a pulse.
What is arrhythmia?
This antibiotic class, which includes ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, carries a risk of tendon rupture as a serious side effect.
What are fluoroquinolones?
This term describes the "chain of infection" concept, which involves six links that must be present for an infection to spread.
What are the infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host?
Known for the "butterfly" facial rash it can cause, this autoimmune disease primarily affects women and can impact multiple organs.
What is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
This lab value measures the percentage of red blood cells in the blood and is typically lower in patients with anemia.
What is hematocrit?