coma
a state of being unaware of one's settings and being unable to react or respond to people, places or things
dementia
the loss of cognitive and social function caused by changes in the brain
disaster
a sudden, catastrophic event in which people are injured and killed and property is destroyed
elopement
when a patient or resident leaves the agency without staff knowledge
ground
that which carries leaking electricity to the earth and away from an electrical item
hazard
any thing in the person's setting that could cause injury or illness
hazardous chemical
any chemical that is a physical hazard or a health hazard
hemiplegia
paralysis on 1 side of the body
paralysis
loss of muscle function, sensation, or both
paraplegia
paralysis in the legs and lower trunk
quadriplegia
paralysis in the arms, legs, and trunk
chemical restraint
any drug used for discipline or convenience and not required to treat medical symptoms
convenience
any action taken to control or manage a person's behavior that requires less effort by the staff; the action is not in the person's best resident
enabler
a device that limits freedom of movement but is used to promote independence, comfort, or safety
freedom of movement
any change in place or position of the body or any part of the body that the person can control
medical symptom
an indication or characteristic of a physical or psychological condition
remove easily
the manual method, device material, or equipment used to restrain the person that can be removed intentionally by the person in the same manner it was applied by the staff
antisepsis
the process, procedures, and chemical treatments that kill microbes or prevent them from causing an infection
asepsis
the absence of a disease-producing microbes; a type of clean technique
carrier
a human or animal that is a reservoir for microbes but does not develop the infection
disinfectant
a liquid chemical that can kill many or all pathogens except spores
medical asepsis
practices used to reduce the number of microbes and prevent their spread from 1 person or place to another person or place; another clean technique
normal flora
microbes that live and grow in a certain area
sterile
the absence of all microbes
surgical asepsis
the practices use to remove all microbes; sterile technique
vector
a carrier that transmits disease
vehicle
any substance that transmits microbes
biohazardous waste
items contaminated with blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions
communicable disease
a disease caused by a pathogen that spreads easily; contagious disease
respiratory arrest
breathing stops but heart action continues for several minutes
seizures
violent and sudden contractions or tremors of muscle groups caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain; aka convulsions
shock
result when tissues and organs do not get enough blood
sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
the heart stops suddenly and without warning