NCHK RN(G) LE flashcards

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

Autonomy

The ethical principle that patients have the right to make informed decisions about their own care, including the right to refuse treatment, even when the nurse disagrees.

Informed consent elements

Valid consent requires patient capacity, disclosure of risks, benefits, and alternatives, comprehension by the patient, and voluntary agreement without coercion.

Advocacy

The nurse's duty to protect and promote the patient's rights, preferences, and safety, speaking on the patient's behalf when the patient cannot do so.

Veracity

The ethical duty to tell the truth and avoid deception, including honest disclosure about procedures, errors, and prognosis within the patient's right to know.

Normal adult vital signs

Oral temperature 36.5–37.5 °C, pulse 60–100/min, respirations 12–20/min, blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg, and oxygen saturation at least 95%.

Pressure injury stage 1

Intact skin with a localized area of non-blanchable erythema, indicating early tissue damage that requires repositioning and pressure relief.

Aseptic technique

Practices that keep a sterile field free of microorganisms; sterile items touching non-sterile surfaces or below waist level are considered contaminated.

Intake and output conversion

One milliliter of fluid weighs approximately one gram; one cup equals 240 mL; normal adult urine output is about 0.5–1 mL/kg per hour.

Heart failure daily weight

Report weight gain greater than 1 kg in 24 hours or 2.5 kg in one week, as it suggests fluid retention and worsening heart failure.

Hypoglycemia treatment

For glucose below 3.9 mmol/L in a conscious patient, give 15–20 g fast-acting carbohydrate; if unconscious, give glucagon or IV dextrose per protocol.

Stroke recognition FAST

Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call emergency services; thrombolysis is time-sensitive, typically within 3–4.5 hours of onset.

Diabetic ketoacidosis signs

pH below 7.30, bicarbonate below 18 mmol/L, ketones, Kussmaul respirations, and dehydration; treatment includes IV fluids, insulin, and potassium replacement.

Naegele's rule

Estimated date of delivery is calculated by taking the first day of the last menstrual period, subtracting three months, adding seven days, and adding one year.

Late decelerations

Fetal heart rate decelerations that begin after the uterine contraction peak and recover after it ends, suggesting uteroplacental insufficiency and requiring repositioning and provider notification.

APGAR score

Assessment of Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration at 1 and 5 minutes after birth; each item scored 0–2, with 7 or above generally reassuring.

Postpartum haemorrhage definition

Blood loss greater than 500 mL after vaginal birth or greater than 1000 mL after caesarean birth; uterine atony is the most common cause.

Therapeutic communication

Use of open-ended questions, reflection, clarification, and silence to explore patient feelings; avoid false reassurance, advice-giving, and 'why' questions.

Suicide risk assessment

Directly ask about suicidal ideation, plan, means, and intent; do not leave a high-risk patient alone and remove accessible means of self-harm.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

A life-threatening reaction to antipsychotics marked by fever, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability; stop the drug and notify the provider immediately.

Serotonin syndrome

A toxic reaction to serotonergic drugs with agitation, hyperthermia, clonus, and hyperreflexia; stop the offending agents and seek urgent medical care.

Levels of prevention

Primary prevention prevents disease before it occurs, secondary prevention detects disease early through screening, and tertiary prevention limits disability through rehabilitation.

Incidence versus prevalence

Incidence is the number of new cases in a period divided by the population at risk; prevalence is all existing cases divided by the total population at a point in time.

Attack rate

The number of new cases during an outbreak divided by the population at risk, expressed as a percentage; it measures the spread of disease in a group.

Delirium versus dementia

Delirium has acute onset, fluctuating course, and impaired attention; dementia is chronic, progressive, and typically does not fluctuate markedly over hours.

Polypharmacy in older adults

The use of multiple medications, which increases the risk of drug interactions and adverse effects because of age-related changes in renal and hepatic clearance.

Pressure injury prevention

Reposition every two hours, use pressure-redistributing surfaces, keep skin clean and dry, and optimise nutrition to reduce the risk of skin breakdown.

Five rights of medication

Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time; many facilities also require right documentation and right reason for administration.

Digoxin toxicity signs

Bradycardia, nausea, anorexia, confusion, and visual changes such as yellow-green halos; hold the drug if the apical pulse is below 60/min and notify the provider.

Warfarin monitoring

Monitor the international normalized ratio, usually targeting 2–3; vitamin K is the antidote, and patients should avoid large changes in vitamin K intake.

Vancomycin infusion

Infuse over at least 60 minutes to prevent red man syndrome, and monitor trough levels and renal function for nephrotoxicity.

Chain of infection

Infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host; breaking any link prevents transmission.

Airborne precautions

Used for tuberculosis, measles, and varicella; requires an N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room with the door closed.