Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Glossary
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prostatectomy surgical removal of the prostate gland
prostheses custom-built artifi cial limbs
protected health information (PHI) all individually
identifi able personal information obtained through
healthcare
protocol the appropriate conduct, etiquette, or
procedures for communication
proximal a directional term that indicates that
the part being discussed is closer to the point of
attachment to the body; can also be used to describe
internal organs
public health laboratory professionals highly
educated specialists who have knowledge of one or
more scientifi c disciplines
public relations term that describes a fi eld
specializing in communication between an
organization and the public
Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (PASS) acronym
that describes how to correctly operate a fi re
extinguisher
pulmonary loop the fl ow of blood from the heart to
the lungs and back to pick up oxygen and drop off
carbon dioxide
pupil the opening through which light rays enter the
eye
Q
qualitative term that describes data that cannot be
measured
quality improvement (QI) a formal approach to the
analysis of a healthcare team’s performance and
systematic efforts to improve it
quantitative term for a type of information or data
that is based on quantities; also called statistics
quantitative data information that can be measured
quick response(QR) code a two-dimensional
bar code that is used to provide easy access to
information through a smartphone; also known as
quick read code
R
radial pulse a pulse measurement taken by placing
two or three fi ngers over the radial artery on the
inside of the wrist
radiation therapist a healthcare worker who uses CT
or other imaging techniques to pinpoint a tumor’s
location and consults a treatment plan to position
the patient for radiation treatment
radio frequency identifi cation (RFID) a data
collection technology that uses electronic tags for
storing data
radiographers healthcare professionals who create
medical images or treat diseases by passing
radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays, through
an object
range of motion (ROM) the full extent of movement
for a joint
rapport an understanding between people
reabsorption the act of returning a substance to
the part of the body from which it was previously
fi ltered out
reagents chemicals often used in diagnostic tests to
trigger desired chemical reactions
receptor a nerve cell that receives stimuli
recipe cost a numerical value representing the total
cost of all ingredients in a recipe
recombinant DNA genetically engineered DNA
that usually includes segments from two or more
different genetic sources
recommendation reports documents that provide a
way to meet a need in the workplace
rectal temperature a body temperature taken by
placing the thermometer in the rectum
rectum a short segment whose lower end comprises
the anal canal
recurrence the return of something after a period of
time, such as the return of cancer
references people who are willing to discuss
someone’s skills and job qualifi cations with
potential employers
refl ex an involuntary response of the nervous system
regenerative medicine a form of medical care that
creates living tissue to replace tissue or organ functions
lost due to age, disease, injury, or birth disorder
regenerative therapy treatment that uses stem cells
to combat a variety of diseases and conditions at a
cellular level
regimens plans for medical treatment
registered nurse (RN) a healthcare worker with
either an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a
bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN)
registration placement on an offi cial list, or registry,
of qualifi ed workers
registry an archive in which data, records, and other
information are kept
regulate to control
Rehabilitation Act a federal law that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of disability in programs
conducted by federal agencies, in programs
receiving federal fi nancial assistance, in federal
employment, and in the employment practices of
federal contractors
relative risk ratio of the chance of a disease developing
among people who are exposed to a specifi c factor
compared with those who are not exposed
reproductive cloning the creation of exact genetic
duplicates
Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate
(RACE) acronym that describes the steps to take
when there is a fi re
reservoir a place where the pathogen can live, such
as the human body, animals, food, or fomites
residents (1) individuals living in long-term care
facilities; (2) medical school graduates who are
completing the last portion of their medical training
before becoming licensed physicians