354 Essential Skills for Health Careers Success
Glossary
12-hour clock expression of time used interna-
tionally; based on a 12-hour system in which
a.m. and p.m. designations must be assigned
to identify the proper time
24-hour clock method of measuring time based
on 24-hour-long segments; also called military
time
A
acronyms words formed from the fi rst letters or
parts of other words
active listening the act of listening intently to
not only hear the words being spoken, but to
understand the complete message being sent
active reading reading with extreme concentra-
tion and focus to ensure you are fully present
and aware of what you are reading; note tak-
ing and reading out loud are sometimes part of
active reading
addition the process of combining two or more
numbers to obtain their total value
adjective a word that modifi es or describes a
noun or pronoun
advanced directive (AD) a legal document
in which a patient gives written instructions
about healthcare issues in the event that the
patient becomes unable to make such decisions
in the future
adverb any word that tells how, when, where,
or how much
Affordable Care Act passed into law in 2010 for
a major regulatory overhaul of US healthcare
algebra branch of mathematics that substitutes
letters for numbers; involves solving for the
unknown
anatomical position a standing position in
which the feet are parallel and the arms and
hands are at the sides, palms facing out
anatomy the study of the structure of the body
anesthesia loss of feeling with or without the
loss of consciousness
antibiotics drugs that slow the growth of, or
destroy bacteria; used to treat infections
antibody a protein produced by the immune
system; circulates in the plasma in response to
the presence of foreign antigens
antigen any foreign substance, either outside
or inside the body, that causes the immune
system to produce antibodies
arbitration a cost-effective alternative to
litigation
arteriosclerosis hardening of arteries as a result
of plaque buildup on an arterial wall
associate’s degree a two-year college degree,
often offered through a community college and
awarded after completing 60 credit hours or
more when on a semester system
atherosclerosis buildup of plaque on the inner
lining of an arterial wall over time
auditory learner one who learns best by listen-
ing; lectures, discussion, and talking things
through are helpful tools for this learner
autoclave a machine that employs hot, pressur-
ized steam to kill all microorganisms and their
spores on a surface
B
bachelor’s degree a four-year college degree
awarded after 120 credit hours or more when
on a semester system
bacteria small, one-celled organisms that can-
not be seen by the naked eye; can be patho-
genic (cause disease)
base ten system numbering system used for
counting that is based on multiples of ten
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