N-Z Vocab Flashcards
(104 cards)
1
Q
NIDA
A
National institute on drug abuse
2
Q
NP
A
Nasopharyngeal
3
Q
NPO
A
Nothing by mouth
4
Q
Nosocomial infection
A
An infection acquired in a health care facility
5
Q
Occlusion
A
Obstruction
6
Q
Occupational safety and health administration (OSHA)
A
U.S. Government agency that mandates and enforces safe working conditions for employees
7
Q
O&P
A
Ova and parasites; a test to detect the presence of intestinal parasites and their eggs in feces
8
Q
Order of draw
A
A special sequence in tube collection that is intended to minimize additive carryover or cross-contamination problems
9
Q
Osteochondritis
A
Inflammation of the bone and cartilage
10
Q
Osteomyelitis
A
Inflammation of the bone marrow and adjacent bone
11
Q
Oxalates
A
Anticoagulants that prevent clotting by precipitating calcium
12
Q
Palmar
A
Concerning the palm of the hand
13
Q
Palpate
A
Examine by feel or touch
14
Q
Password
A
A secret code that uniquely identifies a person and allows him or her to become a system user
15
Q
Patency
A
State of being freely open, as in the normal condition of the vein
16
Q
Pathogenic
A
Capable of causing disease
17
Q
Pathogens
A
Microbes capable of causing disease
18
Q
Neutropenic
A
Pertaining to an abnormally small number of neutrophils in the blood.
19
Q
Patient ID
A
The process of verifying a patient’s identity
20
Q
Peak level
A
Drug level collected when the highest serum concentration of the drug is anticipated.
21
Q
Per-cutaneous
A
Through the skin
22
Q
Pericardial fluid
A
Fluid aspirated from the pericardial cavity that surrounds the heart.
23
Q
Peritoneal fluid
A
Fluid aspirated from the abdominal cavity
24
Q
Permucosal
A
Through mucous membranes
25
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Protective clothing and other protective items worn by an individual
26
Petechiae
Tiny, nonraised red spots that appear on a patient's skin upon tourniquet application. They are minute drops of blood that escape the capillaries and come to the surface of the skin below the tourniquet, most commonly as a result of capillary wall defects of platelet abnormalities
27
Phalanges (phalanx)
Bones of the fingers or toes
28
Phlebotomy
Incision into the vein for the purpose of drawing blood
29
Plantar surface
The sole or bottom surface of the foot
30
Plasma
The top layer of clear liquid used for testing;also the fluid portion of the blood in the living body
31
Platelets
Cellular elements that play a role in blood clotting
32
Pleural fluid
Fluid aspirated from the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs
33
Polycythemia
A disorder involving overproduction of red blood cells
34
Posterior curvature
Medical term for the back of the heel
35
Postprandial
After a meal
36
Potassium (K+)
A mineral that is essential for normal muscle activity and the conduction of nerve impulses
37
Potassium oxalate
An anticoagulant commonly used with the antiglycolytic agent sodium fluoride
38
Preanalytical
Prior to analysis
39
Primary hemostasis
The first two stages of coagulation process, involving vasoconstriction and the formation of the platelet plug
40
Prone
Lying face down
41
Prothrombin test (PT)
A test used to evaluate the function of the extrinsic pathway and monitor coumarin therapy
42
Proxemics
The study of an individual's concept and use of space
43
Proximal
Nearest to the center of the body or point of attachment
44
QC
Quality control
45
QNS
Quantity not sufficient
46
Radial artery
The artery located at the thumb side of the wrist, which is the first choice and most common site used for arterial puncture
47
Reference laboratories
Large independent labs that receive and test specimens from many different facilities
48
Reference ranges
Normal laboratory test values for healthy individuals
49
Reflux
The backflow of blood into a patient's vein from the collection tube during venipuncture
50
Requisition
The form on which test orders are entered and sent to the lab
51
Reservoir
The source of an infectious microorganism
52
Reticulocytes
Immature RBCs in the blood-stream that contain remnants of material from the nuclear phase
53
Rh factor
Antigen called the D antigen, which is the basis for the Rh blood group system
54
Sclerosed
Hardened
55
Secondary hemostasis
Stage 3 and 4 of the coagulation process, which involve fibrin clot formation and the ultimate dissolution of the clot after healing has occurred, respectively.
56
Septicemia
Microorganisms or their toxins in the blood
57
Serum
Normally a clear pale-yellow fluid that can be separated from a clotted blood specimen and has the same composition as plasma except that it does not contain fibrinogen
58
Shaft
The long cylindrical portion of the needle
59
Sharps container
A special puncture-resistant, leak-proof, disposable container used to dispose of used needles, lancets, and other sharp objects
60
Short draw
An underfilled or partially filled tube
61
Silica
Glass particles used to enhanced the coagulation process; clot activator
62
Sodium (Na+)
An extracellular ion in the blood plasma that helps maintain fluid balance
63
Sodium citrate
An anticoagulant that prevents clotting by binding calcium and is used for coagulation tests because it does the best job of preserving the coagulation factors
64
Sodium fluoride
An additive that preserves glucose and inhibits the growth of bacteria
65
Sodium polyanethol sulfonate (SPS)
An anticoagulant used in blood culture collections that also reduces the action of protein called complement, which destroys bacteria, slows down phagocytosis, and reduces the activity of certain antibiotics
66
Solutes
Dissolved substances
67
Specimen (blood)
As defined by the CLSI, the discrete portion of blood taken for examination, study, or analysis of one or more quantities or characteristics to determine the character of the whole
68
Sputum
Mucus or phlegm ejected from the trachea, bronchi, and lungs by deep coughing
69
Standard precautions
Precautions intended to minimize the risk of infection transmission when caring for all patients regardless of their status. They apply to blood, all body fluids, nonintact skin, and mucous membranes
70
Stat
Immediately
71
Subcutaneous
Beneath the skin
72
Supine
Laying on the back with the face up
73
Suprapubic aspiration
Term used to describe a way of obtaining a urine specimen by inserting a needle directing into the urinary bladder and aspirating (with-drawing by suction) the urine directly from the bladder into a sterile syringe
74
Susceptible host
An individual who has little resistance to an infectious agent
75
Syncope
Medical term for fainting-the loss of consciousness and postural tone that results from insufficient blood flow to the brain
76
Synovial fluid
Viscid (sticky), colorless fluid found in joint cavities
77
TAT
Turnaround time
78
TDM
Therapeutic drug monitoring. Testing of drug levels at specific intervals to help establish a drug dosage, maintain the dosage at a therapeutic level, and avoid drug toxicity
79
Terminal
A computer screen and keyboard
80
Thixotropic gel
An inert synthetic gel substance in some ETS tubes (SSTs, PSTs, etc) that forms a physical barrier between the cells and serum or plasma when the specimen is centrifuged
81
Thrombin
An enzyme that converts fibrinogen into fibrin necessary for clot formation
82
Thrombocytopenia
Decreased platelets
83
Tourniquet
A device applied to limb prior to venipuncture to restrict venous blood flow, which distends the veins and makes them easier to find and pierce with a needle
84
Trace element-free tubes
Tubes made of materials that are free of trace-minerals contamination as possible
85
Transfusion reaction
An adverse reaction between donor cells and the recipient
86
Trough level
Drug level collected when the lowest serum concentration of the drug is expected, usually immediately prior to the administration of the next scheduled dose
87
24 hour urine
Pooled urine specimen collected over a period of 24 hours, usually beginning in the morning
88
Ulnar artery
Artery located on the medial aspect of little finger side of the wrist
89
Universal precautions (UP)
Precautions established by the CDC and adopted by OSHA to prevent patient-to-personnel transmission of infection from bodily fluids. Under UP, blood and certain bodily fluids of all individuals are considered potentially infectious
90
Urinalysis (UA)
A laboratory test that typically includes macroscopic, physical, chemical, and microscopic analysis of urine specimen
91
UTI
Ailment caused by the presence of microorganisms in one or more structures of the urinary system
92
Vacuum
Negative pressure, or artificially caused created absence of air
93
Vasopressin
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
94
Vasoconstriction
Stage 1 of hemostasis, in which a damaged vessel constricts to decrease the flow of blood to an injured area
95
Vector transmission
Transmission of an infectious agent by an insect, arthropod, or animal
96
Vehicle transmission
Transmission of an infectious agent through contaminated food, water, drugs, or the transfusion of blood
97
Veins
Blood vessels that return blood to the heart
98
Venostasis
Trapping of blood in an extremity by the compression of veins
99
Ventral
To the front of the body
100
Ventricles
The lower pumping or delivering chambers on each side of the heart
101
Venules
The smallest veins at the junction of the capillaries
102
Whole blood
Blood that is in the same form as when it circulated in the bloodstream
103
Whorls
Spiral pattern of the ridges and grooves that form a fingerprint
104
Work practice controls
Practices that alter the manner in which a task is performed so as to reduce the likelihood of bloodborne pathogen exposure
