Dictionary

Signs and symptoms

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

obturator signPain in the lower abdomen when the client's bent right hip and knee are rotated inward.

oliguriaMaking less urine than normal, in an adult below about 400 mL a day.

olive-shaped massA small, firm, movable lump about the size and shape of an olive, felt in an infant's upper abdomen.

orthopneaDifficulty breathing when lying flat that eases when sitting or standing up.

orthostatic hypotensionA drop in blood pressure when a person stands up from lying or sitting.

Osler nodesSmall, tender, red or purple raised bumps on the pads of the fingers or toes.

overactivityMore activity than normal, in a person, an organ or a body system.

overloadMore of something than the body can handle; in nursing, most often too much fluid in the circulation.

oversedationA level of drowsiness deeper than intended from opioids or other sedating drugs.