Abduction

moving away from the body

Abuse

to hurt, injure, or damage

Accredit

to recognize or vouch for as conforming with a standard

Activities of Daily Living

tasks needed for daily living, like dressing, hygiene, eating, toileting, and bathing

Acupuncture

a medical therapy that originated in ancient china

Acute

problem that begins rapidly and typically lasts 7-10 days; then the person recovers

Adapt

change to fit new conditions

Adaptive Skills

skills people use every day to live, work, and play

Adduction

moving toward the body

Adjustment

a correction or modification for actual conditions

Admission

administrative procedure for entering a facility; opposite of discharge

Adrenal Gland

located on top of the kidneys, this gland secretes hormones that regulate metabolism, increase blood sugar, control blood vessel constriction, and help us react in emergency situations

Advocate

someone who takes the side of antoher person and speaks for them

Aerobic

steady exercise that increases your heart rate and the amount of oxygen delivered to body tissue

Agenda Behavior

tending to follow a certain agenda, often a past routine

Aggressive

behavior that is hurtful to others and may make them angry

Agitation

movements that are irregular, rapid, or violent; state of excitement, often troubled

Airborn Transmission

route of infection that occurs when the reservoir coughs microorganisms into the air and a susceptible host breathes them into the lungs

Alert

quick to perceive and act

Alignment

to put in a straight line

Allegation

a person's statement or intended legal action

Alternative

a choice, a different possibility

Alveoli

air sacs in the lungs

Alzheimer's Disease

a progressive, incurable disease that affects the brain and causes memory loss and eventual death

Ambulation

moving about; walking

Amniotic Sac

membrane that encloses the fetus inside the uterus; it contains amniotic fluid that cushions and supports the fetus during development

Amputation

cutting a limb from the body

Anaerobic

excercise that does not increase the supply of oxygen to body tissue

Analyze

to study, to determine chemical parts or the presence of disease

Anatomy

study of body structures, such as body systems

Anesthesia

state of being unaware or unable to feel; can be general (whole body)

or local (specific parts of the body)

Anesthetic

the medication given to a person before surgery to induce anesthesia; administered in different ways depending on whether general or local

Anti-Embolism Stockings

elastic stockings often worn after surgery to help prevent blood clots

Antibiotics

drugs that reduce or kill microorganisms

Antibody

type of protein that the body produces to fight infection or illness

Antiseptic

a substance that reduces the growth or action of microrganisms

Anus

the posterior opening of the large intestine (rectum)

Anxiety

an uneasiness in the mind

Aorta

large artery by which blood leaves the heart

Apgar Scale

a tool for assessing the health status of a newborn

Apical Pulse

pulse measured at the heart through auscultation

Aphasia

condition in which a person has diffulty puttin thoughts into words

Arteries

blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to all parts of the body

Arthritus

joint inflamation that causes pain and limits movement in affected joints

Artificial Airway

a tube placed in the trachea of a person's respiratory system, though the nose, mouth, or surgically through a stoma in the neck, to assist in breathing

Artificial Limb

human-made leg or arm

Aspirate

to breathe in or draw in by suction

Assault

to touch the body of another person without consent

Assertive

being confident

Assess

to evaluate or determine a person's strengths and limitations

Assessment

an evaluation of a patient or condition

At Risk

has a probability of having some type of medical incident

for example: falls, seizures, allergies, etc.

Aura

a subtle sensation that often precedes a seizure