Vocabulary

Bowel Elimination Comfort

Nociceptors: pain receptors
Peristalsis: a progressive wavelike
Neuropathic pain: a complex and often
movement that occurs involuntarily in
chronic pain that arises when injury to
hollow tubes of the body, esp. the
one or more nerves results in repeated
alimentary canal.
transmission of pain signals even in
Effluent: output
the absence of painful stimuli.
Stoma: a surgically created opening in
Intractable pain: both chronic and
the abdominal wall to create a bowel
highly resistant to relief.
diversion.
Visceral pain: caused by the
Reanastomosis: surgical reconnection
stimulation of deep internal pain
of the bowel.
receptors. Often experienced in the
Diverticulosis: saclike outpouchings of
abdominal cavity, cranium, or thorax.
mucosa through the muscle layers of
Somatic pain: originates in the
the colon walls.
ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood
Diverticulitis: inflammation of a
vessels, and bones. More diffuse than
diverticulum or diverticula in the
cutaneous pain and tends to last
intestinal tract, esp. in the colon,
longer.
causing pain, fevers, and rarely
Radiating pain: starts at the source but
intestinal perforation, hemorrhage,
extends to other locations.
and abscess.
Referred pain: occurs in an area that is
Ileostomy: a surgical passage through
distant from the original site.
the abdominal wall, through which a
Phantom pain: pain that is perceived
segment of ileum is exteriorized.
to originate from an area that has
Colectomy: excision of part or all of the
been surgically removed.
colon.
Psychogenic pain: pain that is believed
Colostomy: the opening of a portion of
to arise from the mind.
the colon through the abdominal wall
Acute pain: has a short duration and is
to its skin surface.
generally rapid in onset. Varies in
Fecal impaction: constipation caused
intensity and may last up to six
by a firm mass of feces in the distal
months.
colon or rectum. The size or firmness
Chronic pain: pain that has lasted six
of the mass prevents its passage.
months or longer and often interferes
Flatulence: excessive gas in the
with daily activities.
stomach and intestines.
Pain threshold: the point at which the Hypoventilation: reduced rate and
depth of breathing that causes an
brain recognizes and defines a
increase in carbon dioxide.
stimulus as pain.
Hypoxia: an oxygen deficiency in body
Pain tolerance: the duration or
tissues; decreased concentration of
intensity of pain that a person is willing oxygen in inspired air.
to endure.
Cyanosis: a blue, gray, slate, or dark
purple discoloration of the skin or
Activity and Exercise mucous membranes caused by
deoxygenated or reduced hemoglobin
Hypertrophy: an increase in the size of in the blood. Found most often in
hypoxemic patients.
an organ or structure, or of the body
owing to growth rather than tumor
Rest and Sleep
formation. This is based on an increase
Rest: a condition in which the body is
of cellular components.
inactive or engaging in mild activity
after which the person feels refreshed.
Nutrition
Sleep: a cyclically occurring state of
Basal metabolic rate: the metabolic rate
decreased motor activity and
as measured 12 hours after eating;
perception.
after a restful sleep, no exercise or
Biorhythms: “biological clocks” that
activity preceding testing, elimination of
are controlled within the body and
emotional excitement, and in a
synchronized with environmental
comfortable temperature.
factors.
Albumin: one of a group of simple
Circadian rhythm: a biorhythm based
proteins widely distributed in plant and
on the day-night pattern in a 24 hour
animal tissues; it is found in the blood
cycle.
as serum albumin.
Insomnia: inability to fall asleep,
remain asleep, or go back to sleep.
Oxygenation
May be transient/short term (less than
Upper airway: any or all of the air-
a month) or chronic (longer than a
conducting passages of the respiratory
system that extend to the larynx from month).
the two external openings of the nose
Sleep apnea: periodic lack of breathing
and from the lips through the mouth.
during sleep. An absence of air flow
Lower airway: The portion of the
through the nose or mouth for at least
respiratory tract that extends from the
subglottis through the terminal 10 seconds at a time.
bronchioles.
Sleep deprivation: a NANDA nursing
Hyperventilation: increased minute diagnosis. It is not actually a sleep
volume ventilation, which results in a
disorder, but rather a result of
lowered carbon dioxide level.
prolonged sleep disturbances.
Narcolepsy: a chronic disorder that
causes uncontrollable episodes of
sleep during the day, even though the
person sleeps well at night.
Characterized by sleepiness, slurred
speech, slackening of facial muscles,
paralysis, and hallucinations.
Parasomnia: patterns of waking
behavior that appear during sleep.
Bruxism: grinding and clenching teeth
(usually occurs during stage II NREM
sleep).
Skin Integrity
Epidermis: the outermost layer of the
skin.
Dermis: the layer of the skin lying
immediately under the epidermis; the
true skin.
Subcutaneous tissue: beneath the skin.
Maceration: softening of the skin which
increases the likelihood of skin
breakdown.
Urinary Elimination
Anuria: absence of urine formation
Dysuria: painful or difficult urination,
symptomatic of numerous conditions.
Micturation: urination.
Polyuria: excessive urination; may be
caused by excessive dehydration,
kidney disease, diabetes.
Residual urine: the urine remaining in
the bladder after urination.
Urinary frequency: urinating too often,
at too frequent intervals, not due to an
unusually large volume of urine, but
Somnambulism: (sleepwalking) occurs
during stages III and IV of NREM sleep.
The sleeper leaves the bed and walks
about with little awareness of
surroundings.
Sedative: an agent that exerts a
soothing or tranquilizing effect.
Hypnotic: an agent that causes
insensitivity to pain by inhibiting
afferent impulses.
rather to a decrease in the capacity of
the bladder to hold urine.
Urinary hesitancy: difficulty in
beginning the flow of urine; associated
with prostate enlargement in men and
with narrowing of the urethral opening
in women; may be caused by
emotional stress in either men or
women
Urinary incontinence: the unintentional
loss of urine; inability to hold urine in
the bladder due to loss of voluntary
control over the urinary sphincters
resulting in the involuntary passage of
urine.
Urinary retention: holding urine in the
urinary bladder.
Bacteriuria: the presence of bacteria in
the urine.
Hematuria: blood in the urine; may be
due to trauma, kidney stones,
infection, and menstruation.
Oliguria: urine output of less than 400
mL in 24 hours.
Voiding: the bodily process of
discharging waste matter.
Glucosuria: excretion of glucose in the
urine, especially in elevated quantities;
also called glycosuria.
Nocturia: frequent urination after going
to bed; may be caused by excessive
fluid intake as well as a variety of
urinary tract and cardiovascular
problems.
Proteinuria: the presence of protein in
the urine; may be a sign of infection or
kidney disease.