Dictionary

Nursing practice

Delegation, prioritization, scope of practice and the working words of the profession.

daily weightA client's weight measured every day at the same time, on the same scale, in similar clothing.

de-escalationCalming a person who is upset, angry or agitated, mainly by talking, so the situation does not grow into violence.

death rattleA noisy, gurgling or rattling sound with breathing in the last hours or days of life.

decision-makerThe person who makes a decision; in health care, the person who decides about a client's care.

decreased cardiac outputA nursing diagnosis used when the heart does not pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

defamationMaking false statements about a person that harm their good name.

defense mechanismAn unconscious mental process that protects a person from anxiety or painful feelings.

deficitA lack or loss of something that should be there, such as a body function or an amount of fluid.

delegateTo hand a specific nursing task to another trained person while the nurse stays responsible for the client.

delegateeThe person who accepts a task handed over by a nurse who delegates it.

denialRefusing to accept or believe a painful fact or situation, often without being aware of doing so.

dentistA health professional who prevents, finds and treats problems of the teeth, gums and mouth.

developmental stageA period of life, such as infancy or adolescence, with its own typical abilities, needs and tasks.

diagnosisThe naming of a disease or problem after the facts about a person have been gathered and studied.

dietitianA health professional trained in food and nutrition who assesses a person's nutrition needs and plans their diet.

dilemmaA hard choice between two or more options, where each one has a real drawback.

directingGuiding and instructing others, such as staff members, so that work gets done as planned.

disabilityA physical, mental or sensory condition that limits some of a person's activities or how they take part in daily life.

dischargeThe release of a client from a hospital or care setting; also, fluid that flows out of a body part.

discharge planningPreparing a client and family to leave a health care facility and continue care safely at the next place.

discharge teachingTeaching that prepares a client and family to manage care at home after leaving the hospital or facility.

disease preventionActions taken to keep a specific disease from starting, to find it early, or to limit its harm.

distressSerious physical or emotional suffering or strain.

DNIDo not intubate: an order that a breathing tube must not be placed, even if breathing fails.

DNPDoctor of Nursing Practice: the highest practice-focused degree in nursing.

do-not-resuscitate orderA provider's order that CPR will not be started if the client's heart or breathing stops.

documentationThe written or electronic record of a client's care, condition and response.

domestic violenceAbuse by one member of a household or family against another, such as a partner, child or older relative.

DSMDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: the American Psychiatric Association's book of criteria for mental health diagnoses.

durable power of attorneyA legal document in which a person names someone to make decisions for them if they become unable to decide for themselves.