Dictionary

Nursing practice

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

consistencyHow thick, firm or runny something is, such as stool, sputum, wound drainage or a food or drink.

continuityBeing unbroken over time; in health care, care that stays connected as a client moves between people and places.

continuity of careCare that flows smoothly from one provider, shift or setting to the next, without gaps or repeated steps.

contribute to the plan of careTo offer data, observations and suggestions that help build a client's plan of care, without being the one who sets it.

controlled substanceA drug whose making, prescribing and use are strictly regulated by law because it can be misused or cause dependence.

copingThe thoughts and actions a person uses to manage stress, problems and strong emotions.

coping mechanismA thought or action a person uses, on purpose or by habit, to handle stress or difficult feelings.

coping strategyAnything a person does or thinks to manage stress, a problem or difficult feelings.

cosignTo sign a record as a second person, confirming what another person did or wrote.

counselingTalking with a trained person who helps someone understand a problem, make decisions or change behavior.

COWSClinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale: an 11-item score nurses use to rate how severe opioid withdrawal is.

CPOEComputerized provider order entry: a system in which prescribers enter orders directly into the electronic health record.

crisisA time when a person's usual ways of coping fail and they cannot manage a stressful event.

crisis interventionShort-term help for a person in a crisis, to keep them safe and help them cope and function again.

critical thinkingCareful, reasoned thinking that questions information and weighs evidence before reaching a conclusion.

cueA piece of information about a client, such as a sign, symptom, lab value or remark, that the nurse notices and uses to make a judgment.

cultural awarenessKnowing one's own cultural values, beliefs and biases, and that others may see things differently.

cultural competenceThe ability to give care that respects and fits a client's culture, values, beliefs and language.

cultural humilityA lifelong habit of self-reflection and learning in which the nurse treats each client as the expert on their own culture.

cultural sensitivityBeing aware of and respecting cultural differences in beliefs, values and practices, without judging them.

current medicationA medicine a person is taking now, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and herbal products.

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.