Assam Higher Secondary Health Care flashcards

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

Primary health care

First level of contact with the health system that provides essential, accessible, affordable, and community-based care; the foundation of universal health coverage.

Universal Health Coverage

All people receive needed health services without suffering financial hardship; measured by service coverage and out-of-pocket spending on health.

Cardiac output

Volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute; equals stroke volume multiplied by heart rate; about 5 liters per minute at rest in adults.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of a stable internal environment through feedback loops; negative feedback reverses deviations, as when insulin lowers high blood glucose.

Nursing process

Five-step problem-solving framework: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation; guides individualized, evidence-based nursing care.

Braden Scale

Validated tool scoring six risk factors for pressure ulcers: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear; lower scores mean higher risk.

Adult CPR ratio

Thirty chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths, at 100–120 compressions per minute and 5–6 cm depth, with minimal interruptions.

Anaphylaxis first-line treatment

Intramuscular adrenaline 0.5 mg of 1:1000 solution into the anterolateral thigh for adults; repeat after 5 minutes if symptoms persist.

Incidence versus prevalence

Incidence counts new cases in a period divided by population at risk; prevalence counts all existing cases divided by total population at a point or period.

Herd immunity

Indirect protection of unvaccinated people when a sufficient proportion of the population is immune, interrupting transmission chains; threshold rises with pathogen contagiousness.

Kwashiorkor

Protein-energy malnutrition with edema, moon face, fatty liver, and skin changes, often when calorie intake is adequate but protein is deficient.

Body mass index

Weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared; Asian Indian cutoffs classify overweight at 23–24.9 and obesity at 25 or above.

Postpartum hemorrhage

Blood loss exceeding 500 mL after vaginal birth or 1000 mL after cesarean; leading cause of maternal death; treat with uterine massage, oxytocin, and IV fluids.

Kangaroo mother care

Skin-to-skin contact with exclusive breastfeeding for stable low-birth-weight newborns; reduces mortality, hypothermia, and infection compared with incubator care alone.

First-pass metabolism

Hepatic breakdown of an oral drug before it reaches systemic circulation; reduces bioavailability and is avoided by sublingual, rectal, or intravenous routes.

High-alert medications

Drugs carrying a heightened risk of serious harm when used in error, such as insulin, heparin, concentrated potassium chloride, and chemotherapy; require double-checks.

Standard precautions

Infection control measures applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis: hand hygiene, gloves, gown, mask, eye protection, and safe sharps disposal.

Airborne precautions

Measures for pathogens spread by small particles over long distances, such as tuberculosis and measles; require N95 respirator and negative-pressure room.

Informed consent

Voluntary agreement after receiving adequate information about risks, benefits, and alternatives; requires patient capacity and should be documented.

Four principles of ethics

Autonomy (respect patient choice), beneficence (do good), non-maleficence (avoid harm), and justice (fair distribution of benefits and burdens).

SBAR handover

Structured communication tool: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation; improves clarity and safety during patient handoffs between health workers.

Teach-back method

Confirming patient understanding by asking them to restate instructions in their own words; reveals gaps and improves adherence to care plans.

ASHA worker

Accredited Social Health Activist selected by the Gram Sabha; links community to health services, promotes maternal and child health, and receives performance-based incentives.

Cold chain

Temperature-controlled supply system keeping vaccines at 2–8°C at facilities; prevents loss of potency; adsorbed vaccines must not be frozen.

Preeclampsia danger signs

Severe headache, blurred vision, epigastric pain, and swelling in a pregnant woman with high blood pressure; may progress to eclampsia convulsions requiring magnesium sulfate.

Oral rehydration salts with zinc

First-line treatment for childhood diarrhea; ORS replaces fluid and electrolytes while zinc 20 mg daily for 14 days shortens duration and prevents recurrence.

Biomedical waste segregation

Color-coded disposal: yellow for anatomical and soiled waste, red for contaminated plastic, white for sharps, and blue for glass and metallic implants.

Needlestick injury response

Wash with soap and water without squeezing, report immediately, and start HIV post-exposure prophylaxis within 2 hours when indicated; test source and exposed person.

Therapeutic communication

Purposeful interaction using empathy, active listening, open-ended questions, and appropriate silence; avoids false reassurance, judgment, and technical jargon.

Medical negligence elements

Four elements must be proved: a duty of care existed, the duty was breached, the breach caused harm, and damages resulted.

Levels of prevention

Primordial (avoid risk factors), primary (prevent disease onset), secondary (early detection and treatment), tertiary (limit disability), and quaternary (avoid overmedicalization).

Narrow therapeutic index

Drugs whose effective and toxic doses are close, such as digoxin, warfarin, lithium, and phenytoin; require therapeutic drug monitoring and careful dosing.