Dictionary

Procedures and skills

The procedures nurses assist with and the skills they perform themselves.

relaxationA state of calm with less physical and mental tension, or the methods used to reach it.

repositioningChanging a client's body position on a regular schedule, or moving a device to a new place.

resectionSurgery to remove part of an organ or tissue.

respirationBreathing air in and out, and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air, the blood and the cells.

respiratorA close-fitting mask or hood that filters the air a person breathes to protect them from germs or harmful particles.

respiratory rateThe number of breaths a person takes in one minute.

resuscitationEmergency treatment to restore breathing, heartbeat or blood circulation.

reverse Trendelenburg positionA position lying on the back on a bed or table that is tilted so the head is higher than the feet, with the body kept straight.

RICERest, Ice, Compression, Elevation: a memory aid for first care of a sprain, strain or bruise.

Romberg testA balance test in which the person stands with feet together and arms at the sides, first with eyes open and then with eyes closed.

salineA solution of salt (sodium chloride) in water, used for IV fluids, flushes, wound cleaning and other care.

secretionA substance a gland or cell makes and releases, such as mucus, saliva, sweat or a hormone.

sedationA calm, relaxed or sleepy state brought on by drugs, or the use of drugs to cause it.

seizure precautionsSafety steps set up for a client at risk of seizures, to prevent injury if one happens.

semi-Fowler positionA position in which the client lies on the back with the head of the bed raised about 30 to 45 degrees.

sequential compression deviceInflatable leg sleeves that fill with air and squeeze the legs in turns to keep blood moving in the veins.

serosanguineousDescribes drainage that is thin and watery with a little blood in it, so it looks pale pink.

serousThin, watery and clear to pale yellow, like the fluid part of blood.

sheathA covering that wraps around a structure; in procedures, a short hollow tube left in a blood vessel to pass catheters through.

shuntA passage that moves blood or other fluid from one place to another, either made by a surgeon or present in the body.

Simple Triage and Rapid TreatmentA quick method, called START, for sorting adult victims in a mass-casualty event by how urgently they need care.

Sims positionA side-lying position on the left side with the upper leg bent and the lower arm behind the body.

skin breakdownDamage that opens or wears away the skin, such as a pressure injury, skin tear or damage from moisture.

skin turgorHow quickly a gently pinched fold of skin goes back to its normal position.

sloughSoft, moist dead tissue in a wound, usually yellow, tan, gray or green, that may be stringy or stuck to the wound bed.

Snellen chartAn eye chart with rows of letters that get smaller, used to test how clearly a person sees at a distance.

specimenA sample of blood, urine, stool, tissue or other body material collected for testing.

speculumAn instrument used to open and hold open a body opening, such as the vagina, so the inside can be seen.

spirometerA device that measures how much air a person breathes in or out, and how fast.

splintA firm support strapped to a body part to keep it still and protected.

stapleA small metal clip used to close a skin wound or join tissues during surgery.

stentA small tube, often of metal mesh, placed inside a vessel or duct to hold it open.

sterileFree of all living microorganisms; also, unable to have children.

sterile dressing changeReplacing a dressing on a wound or line site using sterile technique and sterile supplies.

sterile gloveA glove that has been sterilized and packed so it can touch a sterile field or an open body area without bringing in germs.

sterilizationA process that destroys all microorganisms, including spores, on an item; also a permanent birth control procedure.

stethoscopeA tool used to listen to sounds inside the body, such as the heart, lungs and bowel.

stitchAn everyday word for a suture: one loop of thread used to close a wound.

stomaAn opening on the surface of the body made by surgery, such as the end of bowel brought out through the belly wall.

straight catheterizationPutting a catheter through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine, then taking it out right away.

stretchingExercise that gently lengthens muscles to keep or improve flexibility and the movement of joints.

subcutaneousUnder the skin; in the fatty layer between the skin and the muscle.

subcutaneous injectionAn injection of medicine into the layer of fat just under the skin.

suction catheterA thin, flexible tube attached to suction, used to remove mucus and other secretions from the airway.

suctioningRemoving mucus, saliva or other secretions from the mouth, nose or airway with a tube connected to a suction source.

supineLying flat on the back, face up.

suppositoryA small, solid, cone-shaped dose of medicine that melts after it is put into the rectum, vagina or urethra.

surgical asepsisPractices that keep an area or object completely free of microorganisms; also called sterile technique.

sutureA stitch, or the thread used to stitch, that holds the edges of a wound or incision together.

suturingClosing a wound or surgical cut by sewing its edges together with stitches.