What it means
The medical word for throwing up. Nurses describe emesis by amount, color and what is in it: bright red blood (hematemesis), dark grainy material that looks like coffee grounds, or green-yellow bile. An emesis basin is the curved bowl kept at the bedside, and an antiemetic is a drug that prevents vomiting.
For the nurse
Measure and record emesis as output. Turn a drowsy client onto the side so vomit is not breathed in (aspirationas-puh-RAY-shunBreathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.Full entry ), give mouth care afterward, and report blood or a coffee-ground look.
In a chart
"Emesis x2, 150 mL total, green-tinged, no blood noted."
At a glance
| Everyday words | vomit, throwing up |
|---|---|
| Spanish | vómito |
Related terms
aspiration
Breathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.
intake and output
The measured record of all fluids a client takes in and all fluids that leave the body over a set time.
nausea
An uneasy feeling in the stomach with the urge to vomit.
nausea and vomiting
Feeling sick to the stomach together with throwing up.