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229 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abscess |
Localised formation of pus in a tissue, organ or confined space
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Abduction |
Movement away from the midline of the body
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Abortion |
Discharge of the foetus before it is capable of independent life (24 weeks or less)
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Acidosis |
An acid imbalance in the body: • Respiratory Acidosis - excess of carbon dioxide • Metabolic Acidosis - excess of lactic acid |
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Activation Time |
The difference in time between notification of an incident and the deployment of an ambulance |
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Acute (of disease) |
Severe, rapidly developing, or of sudden onset |
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Adduction |
Movement towards the midline of the body |
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Admission |
A patient entering hospital for an intended stay of at leastone night |
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Amnesia |
Loss of memory |
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Amputee |
A patient who has suffered the loss of one ormore limbs |
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Anaemia |
A deficiency of haemoglobin in the blood |
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Angina (Pectoris) |
Condition of gripping pain associated with disease of the arteries of the heart |
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Anoxia |
Absence of oxygen |
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Antenatal |
Before birth |
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Antepartum Haemorrhage |
Bleeding from the vagina in late pregnancy |
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Anterior |
In front of, further forward |
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Antibody |
Substance produced in the body as a defence against the presence of a specific foreignsubstance |
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Antitoxin |
Substance capable of neutralising a given toxin (see Toxin) |
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Appointment |
The time at which a patient is required to attend at a hospital or clinic |
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Aphonia |
Loss of voice |
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Apnoea |
Cessation of respiration |
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Asphyxia |
Suffocation caused not only by smothering, but by any condition that prevents oxygen beingtaken up by the blood |
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Aspirator |
Suction apparatus |
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Asthma |
Spasms of difficult breathing accompanied by a sense of suffocation or tightness of the chest |
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Asystole |
Cessation of cardiac activity evidenced by a straight line ECG (see Electro-Cardiogram) |
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Attendant |
A member of the ambulance crew |
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Auscultation |
Techniques of listening for and interpreting sounds that occur within the body with astethoscope |
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Autonomic Nervous System |
That part of the nervous system which regulates the functions of the internal organsindependently of the will power |
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Barium |
Substance fed to patients whose digestive tract it is proposed to X-ray; Barium shows up as ashadow on X-rays |
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Bed Bureau |
An office which keeps up to date information of the bed state of hospitals in the area, andallocated patients for admission |
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Benign |
Not tending to grow worse or recur, non-malignant (see Malignant) |
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Bradycardia |
Abnormally low rate of heart contractions and consequent slow pulse below 60bpm; absoluteBradycardia is less than 40bpm |
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Breech Delivery |
A birth where the infant’s buttocks appear first, instead of the head |
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Call Sign |
A code name allocated to each transmitter/receiver for identification purposes |
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Callus |
A new growth of bony tissue around a fracture |
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Cardiac |
Relating to the heart |
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Cardiovascular |
Relating to the heart and circulatory system
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Case Notes |
A medical file containing information and reports on a patient’s condition and treatment
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Casualty |
Any victim, dead or alive, of an accident or attack of sudden illness
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Casualty Clearing Station |
A post set up at a major accident by the Site Medical Officer in liaison with the Ambulance Service, to sort casualties and direct their evacuation
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Catheter |
A tube designed to be passed into a body cavity
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Central Nervous System |
The brain and spinal cord
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Cerebral |
Relating to the brain
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CerebroVascular Accident |
Stroke
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Cervical Collar (C-Collar) |
A dressing designed to support the neck when moving patients with neck injuries
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Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
The senior accountable officer responsible in an NHS Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Chemotherapy |
The treatment of disease, usually cancer, by drugs |
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Chronic (of disease) |
Lasting a long time |
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Circumduction |
Circular movement of a limb |
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Collapse |
Severe sudden prostration; sagging of an organ or falling together of its walls |
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Coma |
Complete unconsciousness |
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Communication Aid |
A portable device which may provide someone with communication difficulties with a means of communication, e.g. an enhanced or artificial voice, a picture communication board or charts with words. |
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Congenital |
Present from before birth
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Contagious |
Communicated by bodily contact
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Contra-coup Haemorrhage |
Bleeding which occurs within the skull on the opposite side of the skull to that receiving the blow
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Coronary Thrombosis |
Blockage of one of the arteries which supply the heart muscle with blood
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Cortex |
The outer layer of an organ
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Crackles |
Coarse or fine sounds heard through a stethoscope which would signify alveolar malfunction
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Cranial |
Relating to the skull
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Cyanosis |
Dusky bluish tinge to the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood
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Cyst |
A hollow swelling containing fluid or soft material
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Day Hospital |
A hospital which receives patients in the morning, nurses, treats and cares for them during the day, and sends them home again in the afternoon
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Death |
The state in which life is extinct
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Defibrillation |
Correction of ventricular fibrillation by electric shock
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Degenerative |
Involving deterioration of a tissue or organ
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Dermatology |
The study of the skin and its disease
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Diarrhoea |
A persistent looseness of the bowels
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Diastole |
The resting period between heartbeats when blood flows into the heart
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Discharge |
• An in-patient who is being sent home • Substance leaving the body, e.g. pus |
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Disinfection |
Destruction of germs
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Disinfestation |
Cleaning from lice, fleas, or other parasites
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Dropsy |
Excess fluid in the tissues, especially the legs
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Dysphagia |
Interference with the act of swallowing
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Dyspnoea |
Difficult or laboured breathing
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Eclampsia |
Fits which may occur when patient is suffering from toxaemia of pregnancy (see Toxaemia)
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Eczema |
An irritating eruption of the skin
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Electro-Cardiogram (ECG) |
A tracing of the heart’s action made by recording its electrical activity
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Electro-Convulsive Treatment (ECT) |
Treatment of mental disorders by passing electric shocks through the brain whilst the patient is anaesthetised
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Electro-Encephalograph (EEG) |
A machine recording the rhythmical changes of the electric potential of the brain caused by the discharges of energy by nerve cells
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Embolism |
Blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot, an air bubble, fat or a foreign body originating from elsewhere in the body
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Emergency |
An incident which requires an immediate response from the Ambulance Service
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Emergency Department (ED) |
Sometimes termed ‘A&E’ or ‘Casualty’
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Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) |
The permanent office which receives all demands for the ambulance service in a specified area, coordinates them and allocates them to stations or vehicles
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Encephalitis |
Inflammation of the brain
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Endemic |
Occurring repeatedly in a particular locality
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Endocrine |
Secreting within. Applied to those glands whose secretions (hormones) flow directly into the blood
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Entonox |
An analgesic mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen to give relief to patients in severe pain
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Epidemic |
An infectious disease which attacks a large number of people in a locality at the same time
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Epilepsy |
Convulsive fits caused by a disorder of the brain
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Epistaxis |
Nose bleed
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Escort
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• A person, such as a relative or friend, accompanying the patient on an ambulancejourney • Qualified nurse who travels with a patient on medical direction • As ‘Police escort’, a police vehicle provided for the purpose of facilitating the passage ofan ambulance |
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Eupnoea |
Normal, unlaboured breathing
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Eversion |
Turning outwards
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Excreta |
The natural discharges from the body: faeces, urine and sweat
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Exhalation |
The act of breathing out
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Extension |
A pull applied to a fractured, dislocated or contracted limb to keep it straight
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External |
Outer
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Faeces |
The discharge from the bowels
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Fever |
A rise in body temperature
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Fibrillation |
Uncoordinated contraction of muscle fibres in the heart
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Fistula |
Abnormal passage from one internal cavity to another or to the surface
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Fomites |
Articles (e.g. clothing, bedding, books etc.) which have been used by a patient suffering from a contagious disease and are capable of transmitting it
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Gastric |
Relating to the stomach
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Glaucoma |
Disease of the eye
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Glyceril Trinitrate (GTN) |
A substance given to increase the coronary blood flow by causing coronary artery vasodilation
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Gynaecology |
The study of the diseases special to women, especially these involving the pelvic organs
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Haematemesis |
Vomiting blood from the stomach
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Haematology |
The study of blood and diseases of the blood
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Haematoma |
A swelling filled with blood; a bruise
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Haematuria |
Blood in the urine
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Haemodialysis |
Blood filtering by use of kidney machine
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Haemoptysis |
Coughing up of blood
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Haemorrhage |
Bleeding
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Haemothorax |
Bleeding into the chest cavity
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Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) |
The body which regulates the education and practise of state registered health
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Hemiplegia |
Paralysis of one side of the body
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Hepatic |
Relating to the liver
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Hepatitis |
Inflammation of the liver
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Hereditary |
Transmitted from one’s forbearers
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Hernia |
Rupture
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Hydrocephalus |
Enlargement of the ventricles of the brain
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Hygiene |
The science of the preservation of health
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Hyperemesis |
Excessive vomiting
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Hyperglycaemia |
Excessive sugar in the blood a feature of diabetes mellitus
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Hyperpyrexia |
Excessively high body temperature (over 40°C)
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Hypoglycaemia |
Low blood sugar
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Hypothermia |
Excessively low body temperature (below 35°C)
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Hypoxaemia |
Lack of oxygen in the blood
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Hypoxia |
Lack of oxygen in the body
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Illness |
Any condition, mental or physical, requiring treatment or nursing
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Immunisation |
Introduction of a substance into the body in order to produce immunity
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Immunisation |
Introduction of a substance into the body in order to produce immunity
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In-Patient |
A patient who has been admitted to hospital for at least one night
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Incontinent |
Unable to control the passage of faeces or urine, or both
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Infarct |
An area of dead tissue in an organ, caused by obstruction of an artery
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Infectious Disease |
A disease which can be passed from person to person, directly or indirectly
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Inferior |
Lower
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Infusion |
The introduction of fluid (e.g. blood, saline solution, dextrose) into the body intravenously
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Ingestion |
The process of taking food into the body through the mouth
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Inhalation |
The act of breathing in
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Inoculation |
Immunisation
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Insulin |
Endocrine secretion of the pancreas which regulates sugar metabolism
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Intubation |
The introduction of a tube through the larynx into the trachea to maintain a clear, protected airway
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Ischaemia |
Deficiency of blood in a part of the body
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Isolation |
Separation from other people of a person suffering from an infectious disease
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Jaundice |
• Yellow discoloration of the skin • Disease causing this discoloration |
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Laryngectomy |
A person who has had total or partial surgical removal of the larynx
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Larynx |
Voice box
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Lateral |
Relating to the side; away from the midline
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Lesion |
An injury, wound or structural change in an organ
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Liaison |
The act of effecting cooperation and coordination between services
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Logbook (Control and Station) |
A book maintained to record significant events; an aid to the management of the Ambulance Service
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Lumbar |
Pertaining to the loins
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Major Incident |
A major incident for health services purposes is one which, because of the number and severity of live casualties it produces, requires special arrangements
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Malignant |
Recurrent or incurable and tending to become increasingly severe
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Medial |
Near the midline
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Median |
On the midline
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Meninges |
The three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
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Meningitis |
Inflammation of the meninges
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Metabolism |
The process of transforming foodstuffs and oxygen into body tissue, energy and waste products
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Miscarriage |
Abortion; the expulsion of the foetus before the 24th week of pregnancy
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Monoplegia |
Paralysis of one limb
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Narcosis |
A state of unconsciousness produced by a narcotic drug
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Neurology |
The study of diseases of the nervous system
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Neurosurgery |
Surgery of the nervous system
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Nitrous Oxide (N2O2) |
Laughing gas; analgesic compound known better as Entonox
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Oesophagus |
The gullet
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Ophthalmic |
Relating to the eye
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Orthopaedic |
Relating to the prevention and treatment of bone illnesses
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Osteology |
The study of bones
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Pacemaker |
An apparatus for controlling the rhythm of contraction of the heart
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Paediatrics |
The study of children
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Paraplegia |
Paralysis of lower limbs
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Pathogenic |
Causing disease
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Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) |
PALS are responsible for ensuring a system of patient and public involvement in the care and services provided by the NHS; they provide information and on the spot help for patients, their families and carers, and will be a powerful lever for change and improvement within the NHS locally and nationally
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Peripheral |
On the outside or outer edges
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) |
Special clothing and equipment issued to ambulance crews when dealing with patients who are dirty and infected or suffering from an infectious disease; also including uniform
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Phonetic Alphabet |
An alphabet in words used in verbal communications to avoid confusion of names and places
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Physiotherapy |
Treatment by exercise, heat, electricity or massage to promote recovery
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Placenta |
Afterbirth |
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Post-Natal
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After the birth
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Post-Partum
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After childbirth
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Posterior |
Behind
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Prone
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Lying with the face downward
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Psychiatric Patient |
A patient suffering from mental illness
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Psychosomatic |
Pertaining to the interaction of mind and body
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Pulmonary |
Relating to the lungs
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Pyrexia |
Body temperature higher than normal
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Quadriplegia |
Paralysis of all four limbs
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Radiotherapy |
The treatment of disease by X-rays or radioactive substances
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Rales |
Abnormal breath sounds that usually signal the presence of fluid in the lower airways
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Recovery Room |
A room in which patients are kept during recovery from anaesthesia
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Recumbent |
Lying down
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Renal |
Relating to the kidney
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Respiratory System |
The organs of breathing
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Response Times |
The time lapse between notification of an emergency and arrival at the scene
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Rhonchi |
Battling respiratory sounds usually caused by secretions in the bronchial tubes
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Rupture |
Escape of all or part of an internal organ through or between the structures which contain it (e.g. protrusion of the bowels through a small gap in the abdominal wall)
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Scabies |
A contagious itching skin disease caused by a mite
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Sedation |
Reduction of anxiety by the use of drugs
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Semi-Recumbent |
In half sitting position
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Sepsis |
Describes the condition of infection of the body by pus-forming bacteria
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Sinus |
A cavity connecting with the outside of the body
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Speech Therapy |
The treatment of all communication problems involving the understanding and production of speech and language
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Sputum |
Phlegm
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Stoma |
An artificially created opening, such as that made by tracheostomy
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Suction Apparatus |
Used to extract mucus and vomit from the mouth and air passages
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Superior |
Above
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Systole |
The contraction of the heart, associated with ejection of blood
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Tachycardia |
Abnormally rapid heart action resulting in rapid pulse
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Tachypnoea
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Rapid respirations
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Tetraplegia |
Paralysis of all four limbs
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Thrombosis |
The formation of a thrombus
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Thrombus |
A stationary blood clot
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Toxaemia |
Poisoning of the blood by the absorption of toxins
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Toxic |
Poisonous
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Transfer |
A patient being conveyed from one hospital to another
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Trauma |
A wound or injury
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Triage |
Sorting of casualties according to priority
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Tumour |
Swelling
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Uraemia |
Abnormal accumulation in the blood of urea which is normally excreted in the urine
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Urgent Case |
A case when for medical reasons a definite time limit is imposed
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Uterus |
The womb
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Vaccination |
Immunisation by giving a vaccine
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Vaccine |
Substance made of the killed or weakened germs of an infectious disease
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Ventricular Fibrillation |
An uncoordinated tremor of the ventricles resulting in ineffective contractions and cardiac arrest
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Virus |
A germ smaller than a bacterium
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Viscera |
The internal organs
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Wheeze |
High pitched whistling sound characterising obstruction or spasm of the lower airways
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