Unit 12 Vocabulary — English for Nursing II

Noun (thing)
Complications
a secondary disease or condition which aggravates an existing condition
She was re-admitted to (the) hospital after complications set in.
Noun (person)
Convalescent
a person who is recovering after a serious accident or injury
Convalescents usually prefer to be cared for at home rather than in a hospital.
Verb (infinitive)
Devise
to create, design or invent a plan
When devising a treatment plan, take into account the patient’s current symptoms and medical history.
Noun (thing)
Dignity
respect that people have for someone or that someone has for themselves
Everyone wants to maintain dignity in old age.
Verb (infinitive)
Dress
to clean a wound and cover it with a piece of cloth
The nurse cleaned John’s arm carefully and dressed the wound gently but firmly.
Verb (infinitive)
Evaluate
to study something carefully before reaching a decision
Before prescribing any medications, evaluate the patient’s symptoms thoroughly.
Verb (infinitive)
Fill out
to complete information in an official document
It took her an hour to fill out the report.
Noun (thing)
Hands-on care
tasks such as washing, dressing and feeding, performed by a nurse
You must be very sensitive to your patient when providing hands-on care.
Noun (thing)
Informed consent
a process of obtaining permission from a patient before conducting a healthcare intervention
In Pennsylvania, informed consent is required prior to blood transfusion.
Noun (thing)
Inventory
all the things stored or available in a place
Unfortunately there are no syringes in the inventory.
Noun (thing)
Maintenance
any work done in order to keep a machine in good condition and working order
This new model requires minimal maintenance.
Noun (thing)
Pre-operation care
routine health care procedures carried out before a surgery
Pre-operation care is usually provided by a nurse.
Noun (thing)
Rapport
a relationship between people characterized by understanding and respect.
Ms Bragwish is known for developing excellent rapport with her patients.
Noun (place)
Records
permanent patient information, stored for safe-keeping and easy access
The hospital maintains records about patients’ conditions on the main server.
Verb (infinitive)
Self-administer
to be responsible, for dosing oneself with medicine, under the guidance of a physician, or nurse
John found it relatively easy to self-administer anticoagulant injection drugs.
Verb (infinitive)
Shift
a period of work which can occur in the morning, evening or night
Does Dr. Jones work the day shift tomorrow?
Noun (thing)
Supplies
medical equipment that nurses and doctors need to perform their tasks
Supplies can be ordered directly from our website.
Verb (infinitive)
Support
help or encouragement
Dr. Matthews always offers plenty of emotional support to his patients.
Noun (thing)
Workshop
an event in which a group of professionals meet to learn about a certain topic
The workshop on Endocrinology was really useful to our team.