Tamil Nadu HSE First Year Nursing (Vocational) flashcards

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

Homeostasis

The body's tendency to keep internal conditions such as temperature, pH, glucose, and fluid volume within narrow limits, achieved mainly through negative feedback loops.

Cardiac output

The volume of blood pumped by one ventricle in one minute. It equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume, and averages about five litres at rest in an adult.

Nephron

The microscopic functional unit of the kidney that filters plasma at the glomerulus and reabsorbs or secretes substances along the tubule to form urine.

Nursing process

A systematic five-step method of care: assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Evaluation leads back to reassessment when goals are not met.

Maslow's hierarchy

A ranking of human needs from basic to higher: physiological needs first, then safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. Lower needs are addressed first.

Pressure injury staging

A classification from stage one, non-blanchable redness of intact skin, to stage four, full-thickness loss exposing muscle or bone. Staging follows wound cleaning.

Recovery position

A side-lying position used for an unresponsive person who is breathing normally. It keeps the airway open and allows fluid or vomit to drain out.

Adult CPR ratio

For one or two adult rescuers, deliver 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, compressing at 100 to 120 per minute to a depth of 5 to 6 cm.

Heimlich manoeuvre

Abdominal thrusts given to a conscious choking adult with an ineffective cough. Upward pressure under the diaphragm forces air out and expels the obstruction.

Levels of prevention

Primary prevention acts before disease occurs, secondary prevention detects and treats disease early, and tertiary prevention limits disability and promotes rehabilitation.

Safe drinking water

Water free of pathogenic organisms and harmful chemicals. A chlorine residual of about 0.2 to 0.5 mg per litre at the tap indicates adequate disinfection.

Kwashiorkor

Protein-energy malnutrition marked by oedema, fatty liver enlargement, low serum albumin, and skin and hair changes, usually in children after weaning.

Balanced diet

A diet supplying adequate energy and all nutrients from energy-giving cereals and fats, body-building pulses, milk and meat, and protective fruits and vegetables.

Colostrum

The thick yellowish first milk produced after delivery. It is rich in immunoglobulin A and protein and should be given to the newborn rather than discarded.

Naegele's rule

A method of estimating the expected date of delivery: take the first day of the last menstrual period, subtract three months, then add seven days and one year.

APGAR score

A newborn assessment scored at one and five minutes after birth on appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration, each scored zero to two.

Exclusive breastfeeding

Feeding an infant only breast milk, with no water, other fluids, or solid food, for the first six months, followed by complementary feeding with continued breastfeeding.

Neurovascular checks

Assessment of colour, warmth, sensation, movement, capillary refill, and distal pulse to detect impaired circulation or nerve compression after injury, casting, or surgery.

Deep vein thrombosis

Formation of a blood clot in a deep leg vein, causing calf pain and swelling. Early mobilisation, hydration, and compression reduce risk after surgery.

Rights of medication

The checks before giving a drug: right patient, drug, dose, route, time, and documentation. The patient also has the right to refuse treatment.

Anaphylaxis treatment

Adrenaline given intramuscularly into the anterolateral thigh is first-line therapy, followed by airway support, oxygen, fluids, and urgent transfer to hospital.

High-alert medicines

Drugs carrying a heightened risk of serious harm when misused, such as insulin, heparin, and concentrated potassium. They need independent double checks and clear labelling.

Chain of infection

Six linked elements: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Breaking any link prevents transmission.

Standard precautions

Infection control measures applied to every patient, including hand hygiene, gloves, gown, mask and eye protection as needed, and safe handling of sharps and waste.

Autoclaving

Sterilisation using saturated steam under pressure, commonly at 121 degrees Celsius and 15 psi for 15 to 20 minutes, which kills all microorganisms including spores.

Therapeutic communication

Purposeful interaction using active listening, open questions, reflection, and clarification to help patients express concerns, avoiding false reassurance and unsolicited advice.

Informed consent

A voluntary decision by a competent patient after receiving adequate information about the proposed procedure, its benefits, risks, and alternatives, and the consequences of refusal.

SBAR handover

A structured communication format for clinical handover: situation, background, assessment, and recommendation. It reduces omission of critical information between staff.

SOAP notes

A progress note format recording subjective information from the patient, objective findings, assessment of the problem, and the plan of care.

Late entry

A record written after the time of an event. It is marked as late, shows the actual time of writing, and states the reason, and is never backdated.

PM2.5

Airborne particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, small enough to reach the alveoli and linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Silicosis

A lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust, producing progressive fibrosis and breathlessness. It is a notifiable occupational disease prevented by dust control.