| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Geriatrics | Branch of medicine that deals with physiologic and psychological changes of the elderly |
| Neonate | Less than 28 days old |
| Infant | Between 28 days and 1 year old |
| Toddler | Between 1-3 years old |
| Preschooler | Between 3-6 years old |
| School age children | Between 6-12 years old |
| Adolescent | 13-18 years old |
| Culture | Derived from one 's social group, background, and life experiences; provides framework for our understandings, perspectives, decisions, and interactions with others and the environment |
| Assimilation | The process of gradually adopting and incorporating the characteristics of the prevailing culture |
| Acculturation | The modification of one's culture as a result of contact with another culture |
| Bicultural | Persons who function equally well in both their traditional culture and have little acculturation |
| Subculture | A specific culture which exists within a larger culture or may cross another culture |
| Ethnocentrism | "The universal tendency of human beings to think that their ways of thinking, acting, and believing are the only right, proper, and natural ways." (Purnell & Paulanka) |
| Cultural Imposition | Healthcare professionals may knowingly or unknowingly impose cultural views and expectations on clients in effort to accomplish the desired task |
| Limited English Proficiency | LEP |
| Death | A permanent cessation of all vital functions; cerebral function, spontaneous respiratory function, spontaneous circulatory function; can be delayed |
| Brain death | Cessation of brain activity |
| Functional Death | CNS death with vital functions being artificially supported |
| Do Not Resuscitate/No code blue | DNR/NCB; order written per physician, patient, and family; no effort to resuscitate is made |
| Kubler-Ross model | Commonly known as the five stages of grief, was first introduced by Swiss-born psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book "On Death and Dying". It describes, in five discrete stages, a process by which people allegedly deal with grief and tragedy, especially when diagnosed with a terminal illness or catastrophic loss |
| Living will | A written statement of your wishes about the use of procedures and equipment to keep you alive when you are unable to make decisions and have a terminal condition; not valid during pregnancy; must be 18 and competent when written |
| Durable power of attorney | A document in which you name another person to make health care decisions for you when you are unable to make those decisions for yourself; can be prepared with or without the guidance of an attorney; may indicate what life sustaining measures you want or do not want |
| Appointment of agent | Means you name a person of your choice to make decisions about your health care if you are unable to make these decisions yourself; usually included in the Living Will |
| Euthanasia | Positive action taken by one to bring on death rapidly to another |
Combine with other sets
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