BJC Health Science flashcards
BJC Health Science · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Health
- A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, as defined by the World Health Organization.
- Wellness
- The active, ongoing process of making choices that move a person toward optimal health and functioning along a lifelong continuum.
- Health triangle
- A model showing physical, mental/emotional, and social health as three sides; imbalance on one side typically affects the other two.
- Risk factor
- Any behavior, condition, or exposure that raises the probability of developing a disease or sustaining an injury.
- Levels of organization
- The structural sequence of the body from smallest to largest: cell, tissue, organ, organ system, and organism.
- Alveoli
- Tiny air sacs at the ends of bronchioles where oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it during gas exchange.
- Small intestine
- The long coiled organ where most chemical digestion and nutrient absorption into the bloodstream take place.
- Neuron
- The functional cell of the nervous system that receives, transmits, and processes electrical signals throughout the body.
- Insulin
- A hormone released by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose by moving glucose into cells for energy or storage.
- Chain of infection
- Six links - pathogen, reservoir, exit, transmission, entry, susceptible host - and breaking any one link interrupts spread.
- Communicable disease
- An illness caused by a pathogen that can be transmitted from one person, animal, or surface to another.
- Herd immunity
- Indirect protection of unvaccinated people that occurs when a high proportion of a population is immune to a pathogen.
- Incidence
- The number of new cases of a disease that develop in a defined population during a specified period.
- Standard precautions
- Infection-control practices such as hand hygiene and gloves applied to all patients regardless of known diagnosis.
- Macronutrients
- Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, the nutrients needed in large amounts to supply energy and build body tissue.
- Essential amino acids
- The nine amino acids the body cannot make and must obtain from food to build and repair proteins.
- Body mass index
- A screening ratio of weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, used to estimate weight status.
- FITT principle
- An exercise guideline specifying Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type of activity needed to achieve fitness goals.
- Aerobic exercise
- Sustained rhythmic activity that raises heart and breathing rates and trains the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
- Fight-or-flight response
- The body's alarm reaction to stress, raising heart rate, breathing, and blood glucose to prepare for action.
- Defense mechanisms
- Unconscious mental strategies such as denial or rationalization that reduce anxiety but may distort reality.
- Maslow's hierarchy
- A ranked model of human needs from physiological and safety up through belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
- Stigma
- A mark of disgrace or social disapproval attached to a condition, which discourages people from seeking help.
- Depression
- A mood disorder marked by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and sleep or appetite changes lasting two weeks or more.
- CPR compression rate
- Chest compressions delivered at 100 to 120 per minute and at least 2 inches deep for an adult, with a 30:2 ratio.
- RICE method
- First aid for soft-tissue injury: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation to limit swelling and pain.
- AED
- An automated external defibrillator that analyzes heart rhythm and delivers a shock to restore effective beating.
- Emergency action steps
- The sequence Check, Call, Care: assess the scene and victim, summon emergency help, then provide care.
- Informed consent
- A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after understanding its purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives.
- Confidentiality
- The ethical and legal duty to protect patient health information from unauthorized disclosure to others.
- Scope of practice
- The set of tasks and procedures a health professional is legally permitted and trained to perform.
- Advance directive
- A written document such as a living will or health care proxy stating treatment wishes if a patient cannot decide.