In nursing there are a lot of different terms to remember. When you do evaluation on people it is very important that you can name what you are doing and what are the results of these evaluations. I made this glossary with common words that we use in the nursing field, so this glossary can help if you need a reminder of some basics or if you are starting in nursing it can help you memorize some important words.
blood pressure
noun
The force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is taken using two measurements: systolic (measured when the heart beats, when blood pressure is at its highest) and diastolic (measured between heart beats, when blood pressure is at its lowest).
Example: I take my blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer (definition in the glossary).
source:https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/blood-pressure
fr: Pression artérielle
blood vessels
noun
A tube through which the blood circulates in the body. Blood vessels include a network of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venues, and veins.
Example: I'm going to do a perfusion in a blood vessel.
Source: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/blood-vessel
fr: Vaisseaux sanguins
communication
noun
Defines the exchange of information, thoughts, and feelings among people using speech or other means. The patient conveys their fears and concerns to their nurse to help them make a correct diagnosis.
Diabetes is a disease in which your body either can't produce insulin or can't properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin's role is to regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Sweating, especially to an unusual degree as a symptom of disease or a side effect of a drug.
Example: When somebody has high fever the body will try to regulate the temperature by doing an excess of sweat.
fr: diaphorèse
drug
noun
A medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body.
Example: The nurse can give drugs to a patient only if it is a medical prescription made by a doctor.
Def. Source:https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
fr: Médicament
empathy
noun
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It is one of the most important values in nursing.
Example: If, a patient is sad the nurse will have empathy by listening and understanding what makes the patient have these emotions without judging.
fr: empathie
evaluation
noun
Evaluation is defined as the judgment of the effectiveness of nursing care to meet client goals. In this phase nurse compare the client behavioural responses with predetermined client goals and outcome criteria. Evaluation is a big part of the nurse job.
Example: Keep in mind all rehabilitation should be performed within the patient's limits of pain and periodic re-EVALUATION and testing such as muscle testing and surface EMG should be performed to evaluate the patient's progress.
Def. Source: https://www.rnpedia.com/nursing-notes/fundamentals-in-nursing-notes/evaluation/#:~:text=Evaluation%20is%20defined%20as%20the,client%20goals%20and%20outcome%20criteria.%20%E2%80%93
fr: évaluation
glucometer
noun
An instrument for measuring the concentration of glucose in the blood. The result is written in number, and it can vary depending on the time of the day.
Medical records are the document that explains all detail about the patient's history, clinical findings, diagnostic test results, pre and postoperative care, patient's progress and medication. If written correctly, notes will support the doctor about the correctness of treatment.
True to its name, the medication cart is used to transport medications from patient room to patient room. A quality medication cart is equipped with locking drawers, adjustable height, and a mobile computer bay for quick access and reference when needed. The cart contains everything that a nurse might need during a shift.
Polyphagia, also known as hyperphagia, is the medical term for excessive or extreme hunger. It's different from having an increased appetite after exercise or other physical activity. While your hunger levels will return to normal after eating in those cases, polyphagia won't go away if you eat more food.
Production of abnormally large volumes of dilute urine. Common symptom of diabetes.
Example: Source: Oxford languages
fr: polyurie
pulse
noun
A rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them, typically as felt in the wrists or neck.
Example: Clinically it is important to monitor the patient's blood pressure, PULSE, oxygen saturation and levels of consciousness.
(source:Lextutor)
Def. Source: oxford language
fr: pouls
pyrexia
noun
Raise of body temperature over 38 °C, also call fever.
Example: There was no history of pyrexia or cough.
Source: https://lextutor.ca/cgi-bin/conc/wwwassocwords.pl?SearchType=equals&SearchStr=pyrexia&Corpus=bawe_complete&LineWidth=100&unframed=true
Def. Source: Oxford languages
fr: pyrexie
saturation
noun
In medicine, oxygen saturation, measures the percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the bloodstream occupied by oxygen. Healthy individuals level usually exhibit oxygen saturation values between 96% and 99%.
A sign is any objective evidence of a disease that can be observed by others.
Example: rash, redness, diaphoresis, etc.
fr: signe
spigmomanometer
noun
An instrument for measuring blood pressure, typically consisting of an inflatable rubber cuff which is applied to the arm and connected to a column of mercury next to a graduated scale, enabling the determination of systolic and diastolic blood pressure by increasing and gradually releasing the pressure in the cuff.
Example: Source: Oxford languages
fr: spigmomanomètre
symptom
noun
A physical or mental feature which is regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a feature that is apparent to the patient. The symptom is subjective because it is the point of view of the patient.
Example: Head hake, nausea, anxiety
Source:Oxford languages
fr: symptôme
thermometer
noun
In health care, thermometers are used to measure the temperature of the human body. There are different sites where we can take the temperature such as oral, rectal, armpit and ears.
Clinical measurements, specifically pulse rate, temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure, that indicate the state of a patient's essential body functions. Main evaluation that nurse do.
