OBA NCLEX-RN (Part 1) key terms

A six-link model of disease spread: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Breaking any link prevents transmission, guiding isolation and hand hygiene.

Infection-control practices applied to every patient regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gown, mask, and safe handling of sharps and body fluids. They are the baseline defense against bloodborne and contact pathogens.

Barrier items such as gloves, gown, mask, respirator, and eye protection worn to prevent contact with blood, body fluids, and airborne pathogens. Selection depends on the anticipated exposure and the patient's transmission-based precautions.

Measures for pathogens spread by large respiratory droplets traveling short distances, such as influenza or pertussis. Requires a surgical mask within three feet of the patient plus private room or cohorting; unlike airborne precautions, no N95 is routine.

Measures for pathogens that remain suspended in air over long distances, such as tuberculosis, measles, and varicella. Requires a negative-pressure room with door closed and an N95 respirator for caregivers entering.

Safety checks before giving a drug: right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation. Many facilities add right reason and right to refuse, reinforcing verification at the bedside.

A drug carrying heightened risk of serious harm when used incorrectly, such as insulin, heparin, opioids, and concentrated electrolytes. Requires independent double-checks, standardized concentrations, and clear labeling to prevent catastrophic errors.

A formal process of comparing a patient's complete medication list across care transitions to catch omissions, duplications, or interactions. Performed on admission, transfer, and discharge to reduce preventable adverse drug events.

A structured handoff format: Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. It organizes communication during handoffs and urgent provider calls, reducing omissions and improving patient safety.

An unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological harm, or the risk of such harm, such as wrong-site surgery or a retained foreign object. Requires immediate investigation and a root-cause analysis.

An environment where staff feel safe voicing safety concerns, questioning orders, and stopping unsafe actions without fear of retaliation. It supports error reporting and is a hallmark of a just safety culture.

A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after receiving and understanding its purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives. The provider obtains consent; the nurse verifies comprehension, voluntariness, and correct documentation.

A legal document stating a patient's wishes for future care, such as a living will or durable power of attorney for health care. It guides decisions if the patient loses decision-making capacity.

A provider's written order, authorized by the patient or surrogate, directing that CPR not be attempted if breathing or circulation stops. It does not limit comfort care or other treatments unless separately specified.

The ethical and legal right of a competent patient to make decisions about their own health care, including refusal of treatment. It underlies informed consent, advance directives, and confidentiality.

Activities that help people maintain or improve well-being before illness occurs, such as nutrition counseling, exercise guidance, immunizations, and injury prevention. It targets whole populations and individuals across the lifespan.

Interventions that prevent disease before it starts, such as immunizations, seatbelt use, sunscreen, and smoking prevention. It acts on susceptible people rather than on existing disease.

Early detection and prompt treatment of disease while still asymptomatic, such as mammography, colonoscopy, and blood pressure screening. The goal is to halt progression and improve outcomes.

Testing apparently healthy people to identify those at risk or with undetected disease, such as Pap tests or diabetes screening. Positive results require diagnostic follow-up, not immediate treatment decisions.

Expected physical, cognitive, and social achievements at given ages, such as sitting unsupported by eight months or using words by twelve months. Nurses use them to detect delays and teach caregivers.

Proactive education about what to expect at the next developmental stage and how to prevent common problems, such as car seat safety or toilet training readiness. It is tailored to the child's age and family context.

Purposeful verbal and nonverbal techniques, such as open-ended questions, reflection, and silence, that help patients express feelings and clarify concerns. It avoids false reassurance, advice-giving, and judgmental responses.

Fully attending to a patient's words and feelings through eye contact, nodding, paraphrasing, and clarifying. It conveys respect and helps the nurse detect unspoken concerns.

Understanding and reflecting a patient's feelings and perspective without adopting them as one's own. It differs from sympathy, which is feeling pity, and it strengthens the therapeutic alliance.

Limits that keep the relationship professional and focused on patient needs, excluding social, financial, or romantic involvement. Boundary crossings should be recognized and reported to protect patient trust.

The duty to protect patient health information from unauthorized disclosure, grounded in law and ethics. It may be breached only in specific situations such as imminent harm or legally mandated reporting.

Common patterns of response to loss, often described as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. They are not sequential or universal, and nurses support patients wherever they are.

Grieving that begins before an expected loss, such as a terminal diagnosis or impending death. It may coexist with caregiving strain and can ease or complicate later bereavement.

An acute, fluctuating disturbance of attention and awareness, often caused by infection, medication, or metabolic imbalance. It is reversible and a medical emergency, unlike dementia, which is chronic and progressive.

A chronic, progressive decline in memory and at least one other cognitive domain that interferes with independence. It is not a normal part of aging, and safety and caregiver support are key nursing priorities.

Techniques such as calendars, clocks, consistent routines, and gentle reminders of person, place, and time that reduce confusion and agitation. They work best when family presence is encouraged and sensory overload is minimized.

Reading temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation against age-appropriate norms to detect deterioration. Trends matter more than single readings, and abnormal values require prompt reassessment.

Subtle changes such as rising respiratory rate, falling oxygen saturation, altered mentation, and decreasing urine output that precede serious events. Recognizing them early allows rapid response and prevents failure to rescue.

Tracking intake and output, daily weights, and signs of overload or dehydration to evaluate fluid status. Accurate measurement guides diuretic, electrolyte, and intravenous therapy decisions.

Systematic evaluation of pain using the patient's self-report, validated scales, location, quality, timing, and aggravating factors. Reassessment after intervention documents effectiveness and guides titration.

Practices that reduce harm from opioid analgesics, including monitoring sedation and respiratory rate, preventing constipation, and using multimodal analgesia. Sedation often precedes respiratory depression, so it is the earliest warning sign.

The overlapping stages of hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling that restore tissue integrity. Understanding them helps nurses recognize infection, dehiscence, or delayed healing.

Postoperative management of the incision, including aseptic dressing changes, inspection for redness, drainage, or separation, and teaching about activity and hygiene. Early recognition of infection prevents serious complications.