NLN NACE Adult Health flashcards

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

Primary prevention

Actions that prevent disease before it occurs, such as immunization, seat-belt use, tobacco avoidance, and diet and exercise counseling.

Stage 1 hypertension

A systolic pressure of 130-139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure of 80-89 mm Hg, confirmed on repeated measurements.

Airborne precautions

N95 respirator, negative-pressure room with the door closed, used for tuberculosis, measles, and varicella.

C. difficile hand hygiene

Requires soap and water because alcohol-based hand rub does not reliably kill C. difficile spores.

Braden Scale

Pressure-injury risk tool scoring sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear; lower scores indicate higher risk.

Repositioning schedule

Immobile patients should be turned and repositioned at least every 2 hours to relieve pressure over bony prominences.

Digoxin hold criterion

Hold the dose and notify the prescriber when the adult apical pulse is below 60 beats per minute.

Heparin antidote

Protamine sulfate reverses unfractionated heparin; warfarin is reversed with vitamin K.

Normal arterial blood gas

pH 7.35-7.45, PaCO2 35-45 mm Hg, and bicarbonate 22-26 mEq/L in a healthy adult.

Hypoglycemia first action

For a conscious patient with glucose below 70 mg/dL, give 15 g of fast-acting carbohydrate and recheck in 15 minutes.

Left-sided heart failure

Produces pulmonary congestion with dyspnea, crackles, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Hyperglycemia with ketones and anion-gap metabolic acidosis, often with Kussmaul respirations; treated with fluids, insulin, and potassium.

Therapeutic communication techniques

Open-ended questions, reflection, restating, and silence; avoid false reassurance, advice, and why questions.

Delirium versus dementia

Delirium has acute onset, fluctuating course, and inattention and is often reversible; dementia is chronic and progressive.

Delegation rights

Right task, circumstance, person, direction/communication, and supervision; the RN retains accountability for outcomes.

SBAR handoff

Structured communication using Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation for shift reports and rapid response calls.

Clinical judgment steps

Recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, and evaluate outcomes.

Maslow prioritization

Physiologic needs such as airway, breathing, and circulation come before safety, then love, esteem, and self-actualization.

Secondary prevention

Screening to detect disease early in asymptomatic adults, such as mammography, colonoscopy, and blood pressure checks.

Droplet precautions

Surgical mask within 3-6 feet, used for influenza, pertussis, mumps, rubella, and meningococcal disease.

Pain reassessment timing

Reassess 15-30 minutes after intravenous opioid and about 1 hour after an oral analgesic.

Insulin glargine

A long-acting basal insulin with no pronounced peak, given once daily at a consistent time.

Potassium chloride administration

Never given by IV push; must be diluted and infused at a controlled rate with verified renal function.

Respiratory acidosis

A pH below 7.35 with a PaCO2 above 45 mm Hg, caused by hypoventilation and CO2 retention.

Cushing response

A late sign of increased intracranial pressure: hypertension with widened pulse pressure, bradycardia, and irregular respirations.

COPD oxygen target

Titrate oxygen to keep SpO2 at 88-92% to avoid worsening carbon dioxide retention.

Stroke thrombolytic window

Thrombolytic therapy is generally given within 3-4.5 hours of symptom onset; nothing by mouth until swallowing is assessed.

Suicide risk assessment

Ask directly about ideation, plan, and means; do not leave a high-risk patient alone and follow safety protocol.

Informed consent role

The provider discloses risks and alternatives; the nurse witnesses the signature and verifies the patient understands.

Mass casualty triage colors

Red is immediate, yellow is delayed, green is minor, and black is expectant or deceased.

Nursing diagnosis format

Problem statement, etiology linked by related to, and defining characteristics introduced with as evidenced by.

Evaluation phase

Compares actual patient outcomes with expected outcomes; if unmet, revise the plan rather than repeat ineffective actions.