Tamil Nadu HSE Second Year Nursing (Vocational) key terms

Practices that keep a person or object free from disease-causing microorganisms. Medical asepsis reduces germs through hand hygiene and cleaning, while surgical asepsis destroys all germs on items entering sterile body areas.

A work area kept completely free of all microorganisms, used for procedures such as dressing changes and catheter insertion. Only sterile gloves and sterile supplies may touch it, and anything wet or outside the visible border is considered contaminated.

Equipment that sterilises instruments and linen using high-pressure steam at about 121 degrees Celsius. It kills bacteria, spores and viruses; items must be cleaned first and wrapped loosely so steam can reach every surface.

The basic measurements of body function: temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure, with oxygen saturation often added. Nurses record them on admission, routinely, before and after procedures, and whenever the patient's condition changes.

The instrument used to measure blood pressure, consisting of an inflatable cuff, a pressure gauge and a bulb. The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm at heart level and inflated until the artery is briefly occluded.

The difference between the heart rate heard at the apex and the pulse felt at the wrist. It occurs in conditions such as atrial fibrillation, where some heartbeats are too weak to produce a peripheral pulse.

Persistently raised arterial blood pressure, generally at or above 140/90 mmHg in adults on repeated readings. It usually causes no symptoms but damages the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes if untreated.

The standard reference posture in which a person stands upright, facing forward, with arms at the sides and palms facing front. All descriptions of body directions and planes assume this position.

The body's ability to keep its internal environment stable despite outside changes, for example maintaining temperature near 37 degrees Celsius. It depends on feedback mechanisms involving the nervous and endocrine systems.

A screening measure calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. In adults a value below 18.5 suggests underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, and 25 or above indicates overweight.

A daily intake that supplies adequate energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre in correct proportion. It includes cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruit, milk or its alternatives, and limited fat, sugar and salt.

An illness caused by shortage of a specific nutrient, such as anaemia from iron lack or beriberi from thiamine lack. Prevention depends on dietary diversity, fortified foods and supplements where needed.

The thick yellowish first milk produced in the days after delivery. It is rich in antibodies and protein, has a laxative effect that helps clear meconium, and acts as the baby's first natural immunisation.

Giving an infant only breast milk, with no water, formula or other food, for the first six months of life. It is followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary foods up to two years or beyond.

The gradual process of introducing semisolid and solid foods to a breastfed infant while reducing milk feeds. It usually begins around six months, when milk alone no longer meets energy and iron needs.

The health supervision of a woman during pregnancy, including regular check-ups, weight and blood pressure monitoring, iron and folic acid supplements, tetanus immunisation and screening for danger signs.

A single-sheet labour record on which cervical dilatation, fetal heart rate, contractions and maternal observations are plotted over time. It helps staff detect slow progress or fetal distress early and decide on referral.

The six-week period following childbirth during which the uterus shrinks back and the body recovers. Nurses watch for heavy bleeding, infection and breastfeeding problems during this time.

An infection a patient acquires in hospital that was not present or incubating on admission. Common examples are urinary catheter infection, surgical wound infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Waste generated during diagnosis, treatment or immunisation, such as used needles, soiled dressings and expired medicines. It is segregated by colour-coded bins and treated before disposal to protect staff and the public.

Barrier items worn to protect the worker from contact with blood, body fluids or airborne germs. It includes gloves, gown, mask, eye protection and cap, and must be removed in the correct order to avoid self-contamination.

The system that keeps vaccines at the correct temperature from manufacture to the point of use. In most Indian settings, routine vaccines are stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and protected from heat and sunlight.

The planned timetable of vaccines given at set ages, such as BCG, hepatitis B and oral polio at birth and pentavalent doses in infancy. Workers follow the national schedule to ensure full protection and record every dose.

The study of how diseases occur and spread in populations, including their causes, distribution and control. Community health workers use it to find outbreaks, target prevention and evaluate health programmes.

The first level of government health facility serving a defined rural population, offering outpatient care, maternal and child services, immunisation and referral. It links sub-centres to higher referral hospitals.

The rapid sorting of patients in an emergency by how urgently they need care. Life-threatening cases go first, followed by serious and then minor cases, so limited staff and resources are used where they save most lives.

The emergency procedure of chest compressions and rescue breaths given when a person stops breathing or has no pulse. In adults, compressions are delivered at 100 to 120 per minute with minimal interruption.

A life-threatening state in which blood flow is inadequate to supply the body's tissues. Signs include cold clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, low blood pressure, thirst and restlessness; it requires urgent treatment.

The rule that all blood and certain body fluids are treated as potentially infectious, whatever the patient's known status. It requires hand hygiene and gloves, plus eye and gown protection when splashes are likely.

A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after receiving understandable information about its purpose, benefits, risks and alternatives. It protects patient autonomy and must be obtained before care, except in emergencies.

The ethical and legal duty to keep a patient's personal and health information private. It may be broken only with the patient's permission or where the law requires disclosure, such as notifiable disease reporting.

The written or electronic record of a patient's assessment, care given, medicines, observations and response. It must be accurate, timed, signed and objective, because it supports communication, continuity and legal proof of care.

A structured method of transferring patient information: Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. It helps the next nurse or doctor understand the key facts quickly and reduces missed or misunderstood information.

Purposeful conversation that supports a patient's emotional and physical wellbeing, using listening, open questions, silence and empathy. It avoids false reassurance, judgement and giving personal advice.

A record of all fluids a patient takes by mouth or intravenously and all fluid lost through urine, vomit, drainage or stool. It is kept over 24 hours to detect dehydration or fluid overload.

Localised injury to skin and underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure, friction or moisture, often over the sacrum, heels and hips. Prevention needs regular repositioning, clean dry skin and adequate nutrition.

The core temperature of a healthy person, usually about 36.5 to 37.5 degrees Celsius when measured orally. Rectal readings are slightly higher and axillary readings slightly lower, so the site should be noted.