to voluntarily refrain from something. 

Example: The  dental hygenist instructed the patient to abstain from smoking to improve his breath odor.

To be responsible

Example: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge of resusitation techniques. 

Sudden, intense

Ex: The nurse administered the prescribed pain medication to the patient who was experiencing acute pain after surgery.

To hold fast or stick together

Ex: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to hold the skin together. 

Undesired, possibly harmful

Ex: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.

control, protection

Ex: Unit staffing decisions are under the aegis of the nurse manager.

uncertain, having contradictory feelings

Ex: After learning that she had breast cancer, the patient was ambivalent about having a masectomy.

to place, put on, or spread something

Ex: The nurse would apply a medication to the wound before covering the wound with a bandage.

to give consent, to agree

Ex: The patient was asked for assent to the surgery by signing the informed consent document.

able to be heard

Ex: The respiratory therapist noted the patient's audible wheezing as a symptom of the patient's asthma.

single-celled, microscopic organisms.

Ex: The physician ordered a laboratory test to confirm that the patient's illness was caused by bacteria rather than a virus.

Present on two sides

Ex: The unlicensed assistive personnel reported to the nurse that the patient had a bilateral weakness in the legs when walking.

Of or relating to the heart

Ex: Smoking increases the risk of cardiac disease.

An opening, empty area 

Ex: The nurse inspected the patient's oral cavity for lesion.

come to or bring to an end.

Ex: Because the patient's breathing had ceased, the paramedic began resuscitation. 

order of events as they occurred; timeline

Ex: The police interviewed witnesses and first responders to determine the chronology of the accident.

offsetting or making up for something.

Ex: When the patient's blood pressure decreased, the paramedic noted that the heart rate increased, which the paramedic recognized as a compensatory action. 

rounded inward

Ex: The dietician noted that the patient was very thin and that the patient's abdomen appeared concave.

brief, to the point

Ex: When teaching a patient, the nurse tried to be concise so that the instructions would be easy to remember. 

how think or thin a fluid is in relation to how it flows.

Ex: The respiratory therapist noticed that the mucus her patient was coughing was a thin, watery consistency.

to draw together or become smaller.

Ex: The small blood vessels of the skin will constrict when ice is applied to the skin.

dependent.

Ex: A healthy mouth is contingent on careful daily brushing and flossing. 

A reason something should not be done.

Ex: The patient's excessive bleeding was a contraindication for discharge from the hospital.

violent shakings of the body.

Ex: Epilepsy is a convulsive disorder.

quick, not thorough 

Ex: The paramedic gave each accident victim a cursory exam. 

expel feces.

Ex: The patient needed to defecate. 

a deficiency or lack of something.

Ex: You will experience a fluid deficit if you perspire heavily. 

press downward.

Ex: A nurse has to depress the patient's skin to see if any swelling is present.

downward measurement from a surface.

Ex: to measure a depth of a wound, insert a cotton swab into the wound.

worsening

Ex: When a dentist sees deteriorating gums he immediately wants to give the patient treatment. 

tool or piece of equipment 

Ex: A thermometer is a device used to measure the patient's body temperature.

Identification of injury or disease.

Ex: The patient received a diagnosis of pancreatitis.

to enlarge or expand

Ex: Eyes normally dilate as a response to light.

to make liquid less concentrated. 

Ex: We use water to dilute the sugar content of juice.

distinct, separate

Ex: There were several discrete bruises on the patient's arm that the paramedic observed.

distant

Ex: The ankle is distal to the knee.

Enlarge or expand from pressure.

Ex: When a blood vessel is distended, the lab tech can easily insert a needle to obtain a blood sample.

impaired/abnormal functioning

Ex: Family dysfunction may increase when a member experiences an acute physical illness. 

ability to share what others are feeling.

Ex: After being diagnosed with cancer, the physician felt more empathy towards patients with cancer.

balace

Ex: The nurse suspected that the ear infection was the cause of the patients lack of equilibrium.

The origin of cause of a disease or condition.

Ex: The nurse interviewed the patient to figure out the etiology of the patient's food poisoning.

to make worse or more severe.

Ex: The physical therapist realized that too much exercise would exacerbate the patient's breathing difficulties.

to increase in size or amount.

Ex: The assistive personnel turned the patient frequently so that the skin sore would not expand any farther.

to come in contact.

Ex: A parent of a newborn must avoid exposure to people with severe infections.

lengthening; unbending a joint.

Ex: the physical therapist helped the patient perform extension and flexion exercises.

located outside of body.

Ex: Assistive personnel have to measure the amount of blood in the external drain after the patient's surgery.