Dictionary

Signs and symptoms

What a client reports and what a nurse observes, named the way charts and handoffs name them.

nasal flaringWidening of the nostrils each time a person breathes in.

nauseaAn uneasy feeling in the stomach with the urge to vomit.

nausea and vomitingFeeling sick to the stomach together with throwing up.

necrosisThe death of cells or tissue in a part of the body.

Nikolsky signThe top layer of skin separates or slides off when nearby skin is gently rubbed or pressed.

nocturiaWaking up at night to urinate, more than once or more than is usual for the person.

noduleA small, firm, rounded lump of tissue that can be felt or seen, in or under the skin or in an organ.

nonspecificNot pointing to one cause or one disease.

numbnessLoss or reduction of feeling in a part of the body.

nystagmusRapid, repeated movements of the eyes that the person cannot control, side to side, up and down, or in circles.