360 Essential Skills for Health Careers Success
microscope an instrument that uses a lens to
magnify objects too small to be seen with the
naked eye
mixed numbers whole numbers followed by a
remaining fraction
mnemonic devices learning techniques such as
rhymes, catchphrases, and acronyms used to
help remember and retain information
mode the number(s) that occur most frequently
in a set of numbers
morphology term for the form and structure of
an organism
motivation a process by which one initiates,
guides, and maintains goal-oriented behavior
multiplication mathematical operation that
indicates how many times a number is added
to itself; a shortcut for addition
multitasking the ability to do more than one
thing at the same time
myocardial infarction (MI) heart attack
N
National Healthcare Skill Standards
Project system developed by the United
States Department of Education to address a
critical shortage of highly skilled healthcare
professionals
needlesticks any accidental puncture of the skin
by a needle; can be dangerous in a healthcare
setting because the puncture can cause a poten-
tially serious infection
Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act law
enacted in 2000; mandates that OSHA require
employers to identify, evaluate, and introduce
safe medical devices to avoid needlesticks
negligence performing an act that a reasonable
person would not have done, or not doing
something that a reasonable person would
have done in the same or similar circumstance
that results in harm to a patient
neoplasm a tumor; can be either malignant or
benign
networking a process for developing contacts
and relationships with people who are inter-
ested in your future employment
nominal numbers numbers that name or iden-
tify something
nonverbal communication any form of com-
munication that does not involve speech,
including gestures, the way one sits, eye
contact (or lack of), and facial expressions; body
language
nosocomial infections hospital-acquired
infections
noun a word representing a person, place, or
thing
nucleus the “brain” of a cell; directs all activi-
ties and contains genetic information
O
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) a government agency put in place to
oversee employee safety in the workplace
ombudsman a member of the healthcare team
who ensures that patients are not abused and
that their legal rights are protected
ordinal numbers numbers that place objects in
a series in order
organs two or more groups of tissues working
together to perform specifi c functions
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard a
standard applied to all patients receiving care
in any healthcare facility; lists potentially infec-
tious materials and mandates that healthcare
workers should always proceed as if the mate-
rials are infectious
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard a
standard that ensures that employees are edu-
cated about chemical hazards in the workplace