EMR Chapter 12 Vocabulary

3. Act of breathing in and out.
6. Previous medical conditions and events for a patient.
12. Very first set of vital signs obtained on a patient.
14. Excessively sweaty; commonly caused by exertion or some medical problem, such as heart attack or shock.
16. Act of comparing multiple sets of signs and symptoms over time to determine if the patient’s condition is worsening, improving, or remaining the same.
19. The pressure within the arteries when the heart beats; the contraction phase of the heart.
20. Pulsation of the arteries that is felt with each heartbeat.
21. Main medical complaint as described by the patient.
22. Effort a patient must exert to breathe.

1. General condition of a patient’s level of consciousness and awareness.
2. Mnemonic used during a secondary assessment to help assess the patient’s chief complaint.
4. Something the patient complains of or describes during the secondary assessment.
5. Time it takes for the capillaries to refill after being blanched; normal capillary refill time is 2 seconds or less.
7. Bluish coloration of the skin caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen. Typically seen at the mucous membranes and nail beds.
8. Act of using one’s hands to touch or feel the body.
9. Device used to auscultate sounds within the body.
10. Measurement of the pressure inside the arteries, both during contraction of the heart and between contractions.
11. Five most common signs used to evaluate a patient’s condition.
13. Act of listening to internal sounds of the body, typically with a stethoscope.
15. Pressure that remains in the arteries when the heart is at rest.
17. Something that can be observed or measured when assessing a patient.
18. Acronym used to obtain a patient history during the secondary assessment.