Search

Text Color

Margin Size

Font Type

Enable Dyslexic Font

1.9: Key Terms

Last updated

Feb 13, 2025
Save as PDF
- 1.8: Summary
- 1.10: Assessments

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$ $\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) $\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$ $\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$ $\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}$

$\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$

$\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$

$\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$ $\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}}$

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}$

$\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}$

$\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}$

$\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}$

$\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}$

$\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}$

$\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}$

$\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}$

$\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}$

$\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}$

$\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}$

$\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}$

$\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}$

$\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}$

$\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}$

$\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}$

$\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}$

$\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}$

$\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}$

$\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}$

$\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}$

$\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}$

$\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}$

$\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}$

$\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}$

$\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}$

$\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}$

$\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}$

$\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}$

$\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}$

$\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}$

$\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}$

$\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}$

$\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}$

$\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}$

$\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}$

$\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}$

$\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}$

$\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}$

$\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}$

$\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}$

$\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}$

$\newcommand{\lt}{<}$

$\newcommand{\gt}{>}$

$\newcommand{\amp}{&}$

$\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}$

anonymity: state of being unknown; refers to a participant in a study whose identity is not disclosed

autonomy: right to make one’s own decisions related to treatment and care

beneficence: responsibility to act in the patient’s best interest

clinical decision-making: application of both critical thinking and clinical judgment to make decisions about nursing care

clinical judgment: process by which nurses make decisions about patient care on the basis of observations, assessments, and interpretations of relevant information

collaborative care model: approach to health care in which a team of providers works together to manage patient care more effectively and improve patient outcomes

critical thinking: multidimensional, systematic, and organized way of reasoning

data: pieces of information that help researchers answer questions and draw relevant conclusions

electronic health record (EHR): digital version of a patient’s medical history; enables providers to immediately access information about a patient’s health, including conditions, medications, and test results

empirical evidence: objective data gathered by the senses from observations or experiments

ethics: study of right and wrong actions

evidence-based practice: process of making clinical decisions on the basis of the best available evidence from the most up-to-date research

full disclosure: process of providing a complete description of a study or medical procedure, including the risks and possible benefits

health equity: condition in which everyone has the same fair opportunities to attain the highest level of health outcomes

health inequities: disparities created by socioeconomic systems and the status of different populations

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): federal law to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge

health policy: laws and regulations that define the actions and decisions that promote a society’s health goals

health-care delivery system: individuals and organizations collectively responsible for providing and overseeing health care in an area

informed consent: legal document an individual signs to indicate a thorough understanding of a study, medical treatment, or procedure and to agree to participate

intercollaborative care: team-based approach that uses shared responsibilities, interactive planning, and collaborative decision-making to promote person-centered care and improve patient and health system outcomes

ISBAR: acronym that stands for Introduction, Safety, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. The ISBAR format provides a structure of written communication that can be replicated by each team member to keep communication on track, create a workflow for the intercollaborative team, and promote patient safety

justice: principle that all patients should be treated fairly

macrosystem: culture or society that surrounds smaller systems and gives them structure

microsystem: relatively simple, localized system, such as the one in which a health-care provider directly works

nonmaleficence: responsibility to do no harm

Nurse Practice Act: law passed by a state’s legislature regulating nurses’ scope of practice

nursing informatics: specialty that uses information and technology to improve the efficiency of health care and its delivery

nursing research: inquiry that is systematically designed to provide knowledge for important issues relevant to the nursing profession

patient-centered care (PCC): model of care that requires listening to patients to understand what they value most, then using the information as the catalyst for health-care decisions

PICOT: acronym based on the elements of a clinical research question: population or problem, intervention, comparison, outcome, time frame

primary prevention: health care intended to prevent disease before it occurs

qualitative research: inquiry that focuses on personal experiences obtained through observation and interaction with patients

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN): project focusing on the preparation of future nurses to promote the quality and safety of health-care systems

quality improvement (QI): framework to improve patient care and outcomes systematically

quantitative research: inquiry that uses deduction and generalization from empirical evidence to draw conclusions

scope of practice: range of activities a licensed person is permitted to perform as part of their work

secondary prevention: health care that promotes early diagnosis and treatment to slow the progression of a disease or injury

social determinants of health (SDOH): nonmedical factors that have an influence on health outcomes

systems-based practice: health care that considers the multiple systems involved in a patient’s condition and uses evidence about their interactions to develop a treatment plan that incorporates all the entities involved in the patient’s care

telehealth: use of digital communications technology to remotely provide health-care services

tertiary prevention: health care intended to decrease the impact of an ongoing illness or injury

The Joint Commission: independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for quality care, quality improvement, and patient safety for organizations and workers in the health-care industry

theory–practice gap: divide between theoretical knowledge acquired in academic settings and the practical application of that knowledge in real-world clinical settings

whole-person care: holistic care that focuses on all of a patient’s needs

Support Center

How can we help?