Chapter 2 Flashcards
(28 cards)
Airborne transmission
The spread of an organism in aerosol form
Acute stress syndrome
Reaction to stress that occurs during a stressful situation
Blind panic
A fear reaction in which a person’s judgment seems to disappear entirely; it is particularly dangerous because it may precipitate mass panic among others
Bloodborne pathogens
Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans; include but are not limited to, HBV and HIV
Burnout
The exhaustion of physical or emotional strength
Communicable diseases
Any disease that can be spread from person to person or animal to person
Conversion hysteria
A reaction in which a person subconsciously transforms his or her anxiety into a bodily dysfunction; the person may be unable to see or hear or may become partially paralyzed
Critical Incident
An event that overwhelms the ability to cope with the experience, either at the scene or later
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
A process that confronts responses to critical incidents and defuses them
Cumulative stress reaction
Prolonged or excessive stress
Defense mechanisms
Psychological ways to relieve stress; they are usually automatic or subconscious. Defense mechanisms include denial, regression, projection, and displacement
Delayed stress reaction
Reaction to stress that occurs after a stressful situation
Denial
An early response to a serious medical emergency, in which the severity of the emergency is diminished or minimized. Denial is the first coping mechanism for people who believe they are going to die
Direct contact
Exposure to or transmission of a communicable disease from one person to another by physical contact
Displacement
Redirection of emotion from yourself to another person
Fight-or-flight syndrome
A physiologic response to a profound stressor that helps a person deal with the situation at hand; features increased sympathetic tone and results in dilation of the pupils, increased heart rate, dilation of the bronchi, mobilization of glucose, shunting of blood away from the gastrointestinal tract and cerebrum, and increased blood flow to the skeletal muscles
Indirect contact
Exposure or transmission of disease from one person to another by contact with a contaminated object
Infection
The invasion of a host or host tissue by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, with or without signs or symptoms of disease
Infection control
Procedures to reduce transmission of infection among patients and health care personnel
Infectious disease
A disease that is caused by infection or one that is capable of being transmitted with or without direct contact
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A delayed stress reaction to a previous incident, often the result of one or more unresolved issues concerning the incident
Projection
Blaming unacceptable feelings, motives, or desires on others
Regression
A return to a more childish behavior while under stress
Standard precautions
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the CDC for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, or other potential exposure risks of communicable disease
