WBCHSE HS Vocational Health Care flashcards

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

Anatomical position

Standing erect, face forward, arms at the sides with palms facing forward. All directional terms such as medial, lateral, superior and inferior are described relative to this standard reference position.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into left and right portions. A midsagittal plane passes through the midline, creating equal halves, while parasagittal planes lie off centre.

Normal adult vital signs

Pulse 60-100 beats per minute, respiratory rate 12-20 breaths per minute, blood pressure about 120/80 mmHg, oral temperature 36.5-37.5 degrees Celsius and oxygen saturation 95-100 percent.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of a stable internal environment. Negative feedback reverses a deviation, such as sweating when body temperature rises, while positive feedback amplifies a change, such as uterine contractions in labour.

Six rights of medication

Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time and right documentation. Checking each element before administration prevents most medication errors in nursing practice.

Fowler position

A bed position with the head raised 45-60 degrees. Semi-Fowler is 30-45 degrees. It improves breathing in breathless patients and reduces aspiration risk during nasogastric feeding.

Pressure injury staging

Stage 1 is non-blanchable redness of intact skin. Stage 2 is partial-thickness loss. Stage 3 is full-thickness loss. Stage 4 exposes bone, tendon or muscle. Immobile patients need repositioning at least every two hours.

Intake and output charting

Recording all fluids entering the body (oral, tube, intravenous) against fluids leaving (urine, vomit, drainage, stool). Normal adult urine output is roughly 1-2 mL per kg per hour.

Adult CPR ratio

For an adult, give 30 chest compressions at 100-120 per minute, compressing 5-6 cm deep with full recoil, followed by 2 rescue breaths, and continue repeating this cycle.

Choking in an infant

For a choking infant under one year, give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades followed by up to 5 chest thrusts. Abdominal thrusts are not used because of organ injury risk.

Recovery position

A lateral side-lying position for an unconscious person who is breathing normally. It keeps the airway open and allows fluids to drain, reducing the risk of aspiration while help arrives.

Burn first aid

Cool the burn under running water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery and tight items before swelling, cover with a clean non-stick dressing, and never apply ice, oil or toothpaste.

Chain of infection

Six links: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry and susceptible host. Breaking any single link stops transmission of infection.

Airborne precautions

Used for infections spread by tiny droplet nuclei that remain suspended in air, such as tuberculosis, measles and chickenpox. They require a fit-tested N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room.

Biomedical waste colour coding

Yellow for anatomical and soiled waste, red for contaminated recyclable plastics, white translucent for sharps, and blue for glassware and metallic implants. Correct segregation happens at the point of generation.

Autoclave standard cycle

Steam sterilisation at 121 degrees Celsius and 15 psi for 15-20 minutes kills all microorganisms including bacterial spores. It is used for reusable surgical instruments and linen.

Levels of prevention

Primary prevention stops disease before it starts, such as immunisation. Secondary prevention detects disease early, such as screening. Tertiary prevention limits disability through treatment and rehabilitation.

Infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given year. It is a sensitive indicator of a community's health status and maternal care.

Epidemiological triad

The interaction of agent, host and environment in causing disease. A disease occurs when these three factors combine in a way that favours transmission or susceptibility.

Cold chain for vaccines

The system keeping vaccines at the correct temperature from manufacture to use. Oral polio vaccine is stored frozen at -20 degrees Celsius or below; most other vaccines at 2-8 degrees Celsius.

Energy value of nutrients

Carbohydrate provides 4 kcal per gram, protein 4 kcal per gram and fat 9 kcal per gram. Alcohol supplies 7 kcal per gram but provides no essential nutrients.

Vitamin A deficiency

Causes night blindness and, if untreated, xerophthalmia and permanent blindness. It is prevented by eating yellow and orange fruits, green leafy vegetables and fortified foods.

Kwashiorkor versus marasmus

Kwashiorkor shows oedema, a distended abdomen and low protein intake. Marasmus shows severe wasting without oedema, with weight far below the expected level for age.

Exclusive breastfeeding

Giving only breast milk, with no water, formula or other food, for the first six months of life. Complementary foods begin at six months while breastfeeding continues to two years.

Four ethical principles

Autonomy respects patient choice, beneficence acts for the patient's good, non-maleficence avoids harm, and justice ensures fair treatment. Together they guide clinical decisions in health care.

Informed consent

A patient's voluntary agreement after receiving adequate information about a procedure, its risks and alternatives. The patient must have capacity and may withdraw consent at any time.

SOAP documentation

A structured record format: Subjective (what the patient reports), Objective (measured findings), Assessment (clinical interpretation) and Plan (next steps). It keeps notes consistent and easy to review.

Correcting a patient record

Draw a single line through the error so the original stays readable, write the correction, add initials, date and time. Never overwrite, use correction fluid or remove pages.

Measuring blood pressure

Seat the patient, support the arm at heart level and place the cuff 2-3 cm above the antecubital fossa. Inflate, then deflate at 2-3 mmHg per second while listening.

Finger-prick blood sampling

Clean and dry the fingertip, prick the side rather than the centre because it has fewer nerve endings, and follow the meter's instructions on discarding or using the first drop.

Universal precautions

Infection control measures applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gown, mask, eye protection and safe sharps disposal in a puncture-proof container.

Vocational project report

A structured account containing aim, background, method, observations, discussion, conclusion and references. Consent must be obtained before involving patients, families or community members.