Glossary

Also called: ANC

A calculated estimate of the number of neutrophils available in the blood to fight infection.

Also called: aPTT, PTT

A blood test that measures how long it takes plasma to clot through another portion of the coagulation pathway.

Also called: Adverse reaction

An unwanted and potentially harmful effect associated with a medication or other treatment.

A substance that binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a biological response.

Also called: ALT

An enzyme found mainly in the liver that can rise in the blood when liver cells are injured.

A major protein made by the liver that helps maintain fluid within the bloodstream and carries many substances through the blood.

A substance that blocks or reduces the action of another substance, often by interfering with receptor activation.

Also called: Prenatal period

The period of pregnancy before labor and birth.

The larger, diamond-shaped soft spot near the front-top of an infant’s skull.

Also called: Apgar scoring

A rapid newborn assessment performed after birth using five findings: appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respirations, each scored from 0 to 2.

A temporary pause in breathing.

Surgery to remove the appendix.

Inflammation of the appendix.

Also called: ABG

A test of arterial blood that measures acid-base status and respiratory gas exchange, including pH, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.

An abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen.

Also called: AST

An enzyme found in the liver and several other tissues that can enter the blood when cells are injured.

Play in which children interact, share objects, or create simple games together but remain focused mainly on their own activity.

Also called: Collapsed lung segment

Incomplete expansion or collapse of part or all of a lung.

Buildup of fatty material and plaque within arterial walls that narrows or blocks blood flow.

Listening to internal body sounds, usually with a stethoscope.

Also called: BNP, Brain natriuretic peptide

A hormone released by the heart when the ventricles are stretched or under increased pressure.

Also called: BMP

A group of blood tests that measures glucose, calcium, several electrolytes, and markers of kidney function.

Also called: HCO3-

A major base in the blood that helps buffer acids and maintain acid-base balance.

A yellow pigment formed during the normal breakdown of red blood cells and processed by the liver for elimination.

Also called: BA

The rate and extent to which the active part of a medication is absorbed and becomes available at its site of action.

A laboratory test that checks a blood sample for bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms that may be causing a bloodstream infection.

Also called: BUN

A blood measurement of urea nitrogen, a waste product formed when the body breaks down protein.

Also called: Intestinal obstruction

A partial or complete blockage that prevents food, fluid, gas, and stool from moving normally through the intestine.

A resting heart rate that is slower than 60 beats per minute in an adult.

Also called: Slow breathing

A respiratory rate that is slower than expected; in a resting adult, this commonly means fewer than 12 breaths per minute.

Inflammation of the small airways, or bronchioles, most often caused by a viral infection in infants and young children.

Also called: Ca2+

A mineral and electrolyte important for bone structure, nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and blood clotting.

Also called: Capillary refill time, CRT

The time it takes for color to return to a blanched nail bed after pressure is released.

Also called: Dilation

The opening of the cervix during labor, measured from 0 to 10 centimeters.

Also called: Chest X-ray, CXR

An x-ray image of the chest used to visualize the lungs, heart, bones, and other thoracic structures.

Surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Inflammation of the gallbladder, often associated with gallstones.

Also called: Gallstones, Choleliths

The presence of one or more stones in the gallbladder or biliary tract.

A chronic liver disease in which normal liver tissue is progressively replaced by scar tissue.

A congenital opening or separation in the upper lip that results when facial tissues do not completely fuse during fetal development.

A congenital opening in the roof of the mouth that occurs when the tissues forming the palate do not completely fuse.

Also called: CBC

A blood test that measures major components of blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets.

Also called: CMP

A group of blood tests that includes the measurements in a basic metabolic panel plus additional proteins and liver-related tests.

Also called: CT, CAT scan

An imaging test that uses x-rays and computer processing to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.

A condition or circumstance in which a medication, treatment, or procedure should not be used because it may cause harm.

Play in which children organize their actions around a shared activity or common goal.

Also called: Rales, Fine crackles, Coarse crackles

Intermittent popping or crackling breath sounds, usually heard during inspiration.

Also called: Serum creatinine

A waste product produced by normal muscle metabolism that is removed from the blood mainly by the kidneys.

Also called: Laryngotracheobronchitis

Inflammation of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi that causes upper-airway narrowing, most often from a viral infection.

Also called: C&S, Culture and susceptibility

Laboratory testing that grows microorganisms from a patient specimen and determines which antimicrobial drugs are likely to inhibit them.

A bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes associated with reduced oxygenation or perfusion.

A fluid deficit that occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in.

Development that is noticeably slower than expected in one or more areas such as movement, language, cognition, or social skills.

Also called: Milestone

A skill or behavior that most children can perform by a particular age in areas such as movement, language, thinking, and social interaction.

Also called: Profuse sweating

Excessive or unusually heavy sweating.

Inflammation of one or more diverticula, which are small pouches that form in the wall of the colon or another hollow organ.

A condition in which small pouches form in the wall of a hollow organ, most commonly the colon.

Also called: Dull percussion note

A muted percussion sound heard over tissue that is denser than normal air-filled lung.

Also called: Duration of action

The length of time a medication continues to produce an effect.

Also called: Difficulty swallowing

Difficulty swallowing foods, liquids, or both.

Also called: Shortness of breath

The sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing, often described as shortness of breath.

Also called: Echo, Cardiac ultrasound

An ultrasound examination that creates moving images of the heart.

The development of seizures in a pregnant or postpartum patient with preeclampsia when another cause does not better explain the seizure.

Also called: Swelling

Swelling caused by excess fluid collecting in body tissues.

Also called: Cervical effacement

The gradual thinning and shortening of the cervix during labor, expressed from 0% to 100%.

Also called: ECG, EKG

A test that records the heart’s electrical activity from electrodes placed on the skin.

The point at which the widest part of the fetal presenting part has passed through the pelvic inlet and reached the level of the maternal ischial spines.

Also called: eGFR

An estimate of how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, calculated from serum creatinine and patient characteristics.

Also called: FTT, Growth faltering

A pattern of inadequate physical growth in an infant or child, usually identified by poor weight gain or a decline across expected growth percentiles.

Also called: Febrile convulsion

A seizure associated with fever in a young child who does not have a central nervous system infection or another clear cause for the seizure.

Also called: FHR

The number of fetal heartbeats per minute; a baseline of about 110 to 160 beats per minute is expected in a healthy fetus.

Also called: Lie

The relationship of the fetal spine to the maternal spine, described as longitudinal, transverse, or oblique.

Also called: Presentation

The fetal part that is positioned to enter the birth canal first, such as the head, buttocks, feet, or shoulder.

Also called: Station

The level of the fetal presenting part in relation to the maternal ischial spines; 0 station is level with the spines, negative numbers are above them, and positive numbers are below them.

Also called: First-pass effect

Metabolism that occurs before an absorbed medication reaches the systemic circulation, commonly in the intestine or liver.

Also called: Fontanel, Soft spot

A membrane-covered space between the bones of an infant’s skull where the bones have not yet fused.

The distance measured from the pubic symphysis to the top of the uterus, or fundus.

The age of a pregnancy measured in completed weeks and days, generally counted from the first day of the last menstrual period.

Also called: GDM

Diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy in a person who did not have known diabetes before pregnancy.

New-onset high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a person whose blood pressure was previously normal, without the additional findings required for preeclampsia.

Also called: Blood glucose

The main sugar circulating in the blood and a major source of energy for body cells.

Also called: Gravidity

The total number of times a person has been pregnant, including the current pregnancy, regardless of the outcome or number of fetuses.

Also called: Percentile

A child’s position on a standardized growth chart compared with children of the same age and sex.

Also called: G/TPAL

A shorthand system for documenting obstetric history: gravida, term births, preterm births, abortions or pregnancy losses before 20 weeks, and living children.

The amount of time required for the amount or concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by half.

Also called: Vomiting blood

Vomiting blood that originates from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Also called: Bright red blood per rectum

Passage of bright red or maroon blood from the rectum, usually with stool.

Also called: Hct

The percentage of blood volume made up of red blood cells.

Also called: Hgb, Hb

The oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells, measured as part of a CBC.

An accumulation of blood in the pleural space around the lung.

A change in brain function that occurs when severe liver dysfunction allows substances normally cleared by the liver to affect the nervous system.

Also called: Congenital aganglionic megacolon

A congenital disorder in which part of the intestine lacks the nerve cells needed for normal bowel movement, causing functional obstruction.

A higher-than-normal level of calcium in the blood.

A higher-than-normal concentration of potassium in the blood.

A higher-than-normal level of magnesium in the blood.

A higher-than-normal concentration of sodium in the blood.

Also called: High blood pressure

Blood pressure that remains higher than normal; current U.S. guidelines commonly identify hypertension at 130/80 mm Hg or higher.

A lower-than-normal level of calcium in the blood.

A lower-than-normal concentration of potassium in the blood.

A lower-than-normal level of magnesium in the blood.

A lower-than-normal concentration of sodium in the blood.

Also called: Low blood pressure

Abnormally low blood pressure.

A lower-than-normal amount of oxygen in the blood.

Also called: Paralytic ileus

A temporary loss or marked slowing of normal intestinal movement without a physical blockage.

Also called: Infarct

Death of tissue caused by an inadequate blood supply.

Careful visual observation of the patient and body structures during a physical assessment.

Also called: INR

A standardized calculation based on prothrombin time that allows clotting results to be compared across laboratories.

The period from the onset of labor through birth.

A condition in which one segment of intestine slides into an adjacent segment, creating an intestinal obstruction.

Reduced or absent blood supply to a tissue or organ.

Also called: Icterus

Yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, or mucous membranes caused by elevated bilirubin.

Also called: Kawasaki syndrome, Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome

An acute inflammatory illness of childhood that affects blood vessels throughout the body.

Also called: Elevated WBC, High white blood cell count

An abnormally increased number of white blood cells in the blood.

Also called: Low WBC, Low white blood cell count

An abnormally decreased number of white blood cells in the blood.

An initial dose or series of doses used to reach an effective drug level more quickly than routine dosing alone would.

Also called: Lochia rubra, Lochia serosa, Lochia alba

Normal vaginal discharge after childbirth that contains blood, mucus, and uterine tissue as the uterus heals.

Also called: Mg2+

An electrolyte involved in nerve function, muscle contraction, cardiac rhythm, and many cellular processes.

Also called: MRI

An imaging test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of internal body structures.

The ongoing dose given at regular intervals to maintain a desired drug effect or drug concentration.

Also called: Meconium-stained fluid, MSF

Amniotic fluid that appears green or brown because the fetus passed meconium before birth.

Also called: Black tarry stool

Black, tarry stool caused by digested blood passing through the gastrointestinal tract.

A person who has been pregnant more than once.

Also called: Heart murmur, Cardiac murmur

An extra heart sound created by vibrations from blood flowing through the heart.

A lower-than-normal number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell important for fighting bacterial and fungal infections.

Also called: Nulliparous

A person who has not had a pregnancy progress to 20 weeks of gestation or more.

Also called: Onset of action

The amount of time after a medication is given before it begins to produce its intended effect.

Also called: ORT, Oral rehydration solution

Replacement of fluid and electrolytes by mouth using a balanced oral rehydration solution.

Shortness of breath that occurs or worsens when lying flat.

Also called: Postural hypotension

A significant drop in blood pressure after standing, commonly defined as a decrease of 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic within 3 minutes.

Also called: SpO2, SaO2

The percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the blood that are carrying oxygen.

Also called: Paleness

Unusual paleness of the skin or mucous membranes that can occur with reduced perfusion or a decreased amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Using touch to assess body structures and characteristics such as tenderness, temperature, texture, size, or location.

Also called: Whipple procedure, Pancreatoduodenectomy

A major operation that removes the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and nearby structures, followed by reconstruction of the digestive tract.

Inflammation of the pancreas.

Also called: Parity

The number of pregnancies that progressed to 20 weeks of gestation or more, regardless of whether the infant was born alive or stillborn.

Play in which children use similar toys or activities near one another without directly playing together.

Also called: PaCO2

The pressure exerted by dissolved carbon dioxide in arterial blood and a key indicator of alveolar ventilation.

Also called: PaO2

The pressure exerted by dissolved oxygen in arterial blood.

Also called: Peak effect, Peak action

The point when a medication produces its greatest effect.

Tapping the body with the fingers to create sounds that provide information about the structures underneath.

Inflammation of the peritoneum, the tissue lining the abdominal cavity and covering many abdominal organs.

A measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is; in an ABG, it reflects the overall acid-base state of arterial blood.

Edema that leaves an indentation in the tissue after pressure is applied and released.

A condition in which the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervical opening.

Also called: Abruptio placentae

Premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall before birth.

Also called: Thrombocyte count

A measurement of the number of platelets in the blood.

An abnormal collection of fluid in the space between the pleural layers surrounding the lungs.

Also called: Collapsed lung

An abnormal collection of air in the pleural space that can cause part or all of a lung to collapse.

High blood pressure in the portal venous system that carries blood from abdominal organs to the liver.

The smaller soft spot near the back of an infant’s skull.

Also called: Postnatal period

The period after childbirth as the body recovers from pregnancy and birth.

Also called: PPH

Excessive bleeding after childbirth, defined as total blood loss of 1,000 mL or more or blood loss accompanied by signs or symptoms of hypovolemia within 24 hours after birth.

Also called: K+

A major intracellular electrolyte that is essential for normal nerve, muscle, and cardiac electrical activity.

A pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder that develops after 20 weeks of gestation and includes high blood pressure with signs of organ involvement or dysfunction.

A person who is pregnant for the first time.

Also called: PT

A blood test that measures how long it takes plasma to form a clot through part of the coagulation pathway.

Also called: Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

Narrowing of the pyloric channel between the stomach and small intestine, commonly caused in infants by thickening of the pyloric muscle.

Also called: Resonant percussion note

The hollow, low-pitched percussion sound normally heard over air-filled lung tissue.

Also called: RSV

A common respiratory virus that can cause upper-respiratory illness and is a major cause of bronchiolitis in infants and young children.

Also called: Rhonchus

Low-pitched, coarse, continuous breath sounds caused by airflow through larger airways that are narrowed or partially obstructed, often by secretions.

Also called: ROM, Ruptured membranes

Breaking of the amniotic sac, allowing amniotic fluid to leak or gush from the vagina.

Distress or fear that occurs when a young child is separated from a parent or primary caregiver.

An effect of a medication or treatment that occurs in addition to its intended effect.

Also called: Na+

A major electrolyte in extracellular fluid that helps regulate fluid balance and supports nerve and muscle function.

Distress or fear triggered by unfamiliar people.

A harsh, high-pitched breathing sound caused by narrowed or obstructed airflow in the upper airway.

Also called: SIDS

The sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year that remains unexplained after a complete investigation.

A resting heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute in an adult.

Also called: Rapid breathing

Breathing that is faster than expected for the patient's age.

Also called: Drug therapeutic index

A measure that compares the dose of a medication that produces the desired effect with the dose that produces toxicity.

Also called: Therapeutic level, Therapeutic window

The range of drug levels in the blood that is expected to be helpful without becoming dangerously high.

An abnormally low platelet count.

Also called: High platelet count

An abnormally increased number of platelets in the blood.

Also called: Cardiac troponin, cTn

A protein released into the blood when heart muscle cells are injured.

Also called: Trough level, Trough concentration

The lowest drug concentration measured during a dosing interval, usually just before the next scheduled dose.

Also called: Tympanic percussion note

A loud, drum-like percussion sound produced over an air-filled space.

Also called: Sonography, Ultrasonography

An imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create pictures of structures inside the body.

Also called: UA

An examination of urine that may include visual, chemical, and microscopic testing.

Also called: Involution

The process by which the uterus contracts and gradually returns toward its nonpregnant size and condition after birth.

Also called: Wheezing

A high-pitched, whistling breath sound produced when air moves through narrowed airways.

Also called: WBC, Leukocyte count

A measurement of the number of white blood cells in a sample of blood.