Dictionary

Nursing practice

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

MAMedical assistant: a trained worker in clinics and offices who does clinical and office tasks under a provider's direction.

malpracticeNegligence by a professional, such as a nurse or doctor, that harms a client.

mandatory reportingA legal duty to report certain things, such as suspected abuse or some diseases, to the proper authorities.

Maslow hierarchy of needsA theory that ranks human needs in five levels, from basic body needs at the bottom to self-fulfillment at the top.

mass casualty triageSorting many injured people quickly by need when there are more victims than staff and supplies can treat at once.

master of science in nursingA graduate degree in nursing, earned after a bachelor's degree, that prepares nurses for advanced or specialized roles.

medical diagnosisThe name of a disease or condition, given by a physician or other provider, that explains a client's signs and symptoms.

medical examinerA doctor, appointed by the government, who investigates deaths that are sudden, unexpected, violent or unexplained.

medical historyA record of a person's past and present health, illnesses, surgeries, medicines, allergies and family health.

medical interpreterA trained person who changes spoken or signed words from one language to another so clients and health care workers understand each other.

medical recordThe legal record of a client's health history, care, tests and treatment, also called the chart.

medical-surgical unitA hospital unit that cares for adults with many kinds of illness and adults recovering from surgery.

medication administration recordThe part of a client's record that lists every ordered drug, dose, route and time, where nurses record each dose given.

medication errorA preventable mistake at any step of prescribing, preparing, giving or monitoring a medicine, whether or not it causes harm.

meditationA practice of focusing the mind, such as on the breath, a word or an image, to calm thoughts and reduce stress.

mental healthA person's emotional, mental and social well-being, which affects how they think, feel, act and cope.

mindfulnessPaying calm attention to the present moment, noticing thoughts and feelings without judging them.

misuseUsing something in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose, such as taking a medicine other than as prescribed.

modifiable risk factorSomething that raises the chance of a disease and that a person can change, such as smoking or physical activity.

monitorTo watch, check or measure something again and again over a period of time.

morbidityThe state of having a disease or health problem, or how often a disease occurs in a group of people.

mortalityDeath, or the rate of death in a group of people over a period of time.

MSTMilitary sexual trauma: sexual assault or repeated sexual harassment that happened during military service.

multidisciplinaryInvolving people from several different professions.

music therapyThe planned use of music, by a trained music therapist, to help a person's physical, emotional or mental health.