RMT CKT flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Combining vowel rule

A combining vowel, usually o, is inserted between a root and a suffix beginning with a consonant, and between two roots; it is dropped before a suffix beginning with a vowel.

Suffix -ectomy

Surgical removal or excision of a structure, as in appendectomy (removal of the appendix) or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).

Prefix brady-

Prefix meaning slow; bradycardia is a heart rate slower than normal (typically under 60 beats per minute in adults).

Root cardi-

Root meaning heart; combined forms include cardiology (study of the heart), cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), and cardiomegaly (enlarged heart).

Plural of diagnosis

Diagnoses; Greek-derived nouns ending in -sis form the plural with -ses, as in prognosis/prognoses and analysis/analyses.

Anatomical position

Standing erect, facing forward, arms at the sides with palms facing forward, and feet flat on the floor pointing forward; the reference for all directional terms.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into left and right portions; the midsagittal plane passes through the midline.

Proximal versus distal

Proximal means closer to the point of attachment or trunk; distal means farther from it. The elbow is proximal to the wrist.

Cardiac output

The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume; normal adult resting value is about 4–8 L/min.

Normal adult vital signs

Resting heart rate 60–100 bpm, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg, oral temperature 36.5–37.5 °C, and oxygen saturation at least 95%.

Signs of inflammation

The classic cardinal signs are redness (rubor), heat (calor), pain (dolor), swelling (tumor), and loss of function (functio laesa).

Abbreviation NPO

Nil per os, meaning nothing by mouth; used before surgery, certain procedures, or when the patient must not eat or drink.

Metric conversion: grams to milligrams

One gram equals 1,000 milligrams; one milligram equals 1,000 micrograms. To convert grams to milligrams, multiply by 1,000.

Five rights of medication administration

Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time; these checks reduce medication errors before administration.

Therapeutic INR range

For most patients on warfarin, the target INR is 2.0–3.0; higher targets may apply to mechanical heart valves. Normal INR is about 0.8–1.1.

Normal adult potassium

Serum potassium reference range is approximately 3.5–5.0 mEq/L; values outside this range can cause cardiac arrhythmias.

Comma splice

An error in which two independent clauses are joined only by a comma; correct it with a period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction.

Subject-verb agreement with or/nor

When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject: "Neither the nurse nor the physicians were available."

Hyphen in compound modifiers

Hyphenate a compound modifier before a noun (a 2-week follow-up, a well-known surgeon) but not when it follows the noun (the surgeon is well known).

Active versus passive voice

Active voice has the subject performing the action (the nurse administered the drug); passive voice has the subject receiving it (the drug was administered).

SOAP note

A progress note format with Subjective (patient report), Objective (exam and lab data), Assessment (diagnosis or impression), and Plan (treatment and follow-up).

OLDCARTS mnemonic

History-of-present-illness framework: Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating and alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, and Severity.

Operative report components

Preoperative and postoperative diagnoses, procedure, surgeon, anesthesia, findings, technique, estimated blood loss, specimens, complications, and signature.

Late entry documentation

An entry added after the fact must be labeled "late entry" with the date and time it is written, and must not be backdated.

Look-alike drug: Lasix versus Losec

Lasix is furosemide, a loop diuretic; Losec is omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor. Their similar names are a known source of medication error.

Dangerous abbreviation U

The abbreviation U for unit should be written out as "unit" because it can be misread as a zero or the number four.

Handling inaudible dictation

Mark unclear audio with a blank or [inaudible] placeholder and flag it for the dictator; never guess clinical facts, numbers, or drug names.

Leading and trailing zeros

Use a leading zero before a decimal dose less than one (0.5 mg) and never a trailing zero (write 5 mg, not 5.0 mg) to prevent tenfold errors.

HIPAA minimum necessary standard

Covered entities must limit uses and disclosures of protected health information to the least amount reasonably needed for the intended purpose.

HIPAA breach notification

Following discovery of a breach of unsecured protected health information, affected individuals generally must be notified within 60 days.

Valid release of information

An authorization must identify the patient, the information, the recipient, the purpose, an expiration date, and the patient's signature and date.

Ethical principle autonomy

Autonomy is the patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care, including the right to refuse treatment.