- abuse
- harming another person physically, sexually, or emotionally
- accidental poisoning
- when a person accidentally exposes themselves to a substance that is harmful
- acuity
- represents how the health-care team determines the severity of a patient’s status
- airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure (ABCDE) triage assessment
- method patients in emergency situations
- consent
- gives medical professionals the authority to treat the patient, providing them with the most competent and highest quality of care
- crush injury
- prolonged pressure to an area of the body
- Danger Assessment Tool
- reliable assessment tool that provides a baseline score to assess an emergent situation
- delirium tremens
- seizures and hallucinations, along with tachycardia, hypertension, and hyperthermia
- Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTLA)
- federal law enforcing that patients must be stable prior to transferring to any other unit or health-care facility
- forensic nurse
- nurse trained in health concerns and conditions related to acts of violence or abuse
- implied consent
- approval is presumed and not obtained during an emergent situation due to the life-threatening nature of the situation
- intentional poisoning
- can be caused by a person intentionally exposing themselves to toxic substances or by another person intending harm
- maltreatment
- poor quality of care an individual receives
- neglect
- when a person or caregiver fails to supply a person’s needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, or emotional support
- objective assessment findings
- (also: signs) aspects of the patient’s condition that the nurse directly observes and can be measured
- personal protective equipment (PPE)
- includes gloves, masks, gowns, and face shields
- poisoning
- exposure to substances, drugs, or chemicals
- psychiatric hold
- when a patient is involuntarily admitted to a health-care facility under law
- sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE)
- forensic nurse who receives specialized training in performing examinations and collecting evidence from victims of sexual assault
- STAMP method
- method used for identifying signs of danger such as staring or eye contact, tone and volume of voice, anxiety, mumbling, and pacing
- subjective assessment findings
- (also: symptoms) aspects of the patient’s condition that the nurse does not directly observe and are only reported by the patient
- triage
- process of prioritizing patients’ care based on initial assessment findings; life-threatening conditions are prioritized over less severe or non–life-threatening conditions
- Triage Tool
- evidence-based assessment of a patient’s potential to become violent to others or harm themselves