ATI Vocabulary
Infection Control
Airborne Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an
infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles smaller than 5 µm in size to a
susceptible person's eyes, nose, or mouth
Antibody - a type of protein the immune system produces to neutralize a threat of some kind,
such as an infecting organism, a chemical, or some other foreign body
Antimicrobial - able to destroy or suppress the growth of pathogens and other micro-organisms
Antiseptic - a substance that reduces the number of pathogens present on a surface
Asepsis - methods used to assure that an environment is as pathogen-free as possible
Aseptic - as pathogen-free as possible
Bacteriostasis - the inhibition of further bacterial growth
Chlorhexidine - an antibacterial compound with substantial residual activity that is used as a
liquid antiseptic and disinfectant
Contact Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by the
physical transfer of pathogens to a susceptible host's body surface
Contamination - the process of becoming unsterile or unclean
Disinfectant - any chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms
,Droplet Precautions - Measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an
infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles larger than 5 µm in size to a
susceptible person's eyes, nose, or mouth
Endemic - prevalent in or characteristic of a particular environment
Endogenous - produced within an organism or system rather than externally caused
Epidemic - extremely prevalent or widespread
Exogenous - externally caused rather than produced within an organism or system
Flora - the aggregate of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms normally found in a
particular environment, such as the gastrointestinal tract or the skin
Hyperendemic - at an especially high level of continued incidence in a population
Immunosuppression - the inhibition of the body's protective response to pathogenic invasion,
usually as a result of disease, drug therapy, or surgery
Infection - invasion and proliferation of pathogens in body tissues
Isolation - the separation of an infected person from others for the period of communicability of
a particular disease
Latex - a milky fluid produced by rubber trees that is processed into a variety of products,
including gloves used for patient care
Medical Asepsis - infection-control practices common in healthcare, such as basic handwashing
,MRSA - a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the
antibacterial action of the antibiotic methicillin, a form of penicillin
Pathogen - any disease-producing agent, especially a virus, bacterium, or fungus
PPE - devices used to protect employees from workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from
biological, chemical, radiological, physical, electric, mechanical, or other workplace hazards
Pneumococcal - pertaining to or caused by pneumococci, organisms of the species
Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia and other infectious diseases
Retrovirus - any of a large group of RNA-based viruses that tend to infect immunocompromised
individuals, including the human immunodeficiency virus and many cancer-causing viruses
Sepsis - the presence in blood or other tissues of pathogens or their toxins
Standard Precautions - measures designed to prevent the transmission of organisms and used
for all patients in healthcare facilities regardless of diagnosis or infection status
Staphylococcus - a genus of gram-positive bacteria that are potential pathogens, causing local
lesions and serious opportunistic infections
Surgical Asepsis - techniques used to destroy all pathogenic organisms, also called sterile
technique
Transmission Based Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases from
people suspected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible pathogens that require
measures beyond standard precautions to interrupt transmission, specifically, airborne, droplet,
and contact precautions
, Vancomycin resistant staph. Aureus - a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has
become resistant to the antibacterial action of the antibiotic vancomycin
Ambulation, Transfer, and Range of Motion
Abduction - movement away from the midline of the body.
Active Range of Motion (ROM) - the process whereby the patient puts a joint through its full
extent of movement.
Adduction - movement toward the midline of the body.
Assistive Device - an object or piece of equipment designed to help a patient with activities of
daily living, such as a cane, eyeglasses or a hearing aid.
Atrophy - decrease in size, wasting away, or progressive decline of a body part or tissue.
Infection Control
Airborne Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an
infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles smaller than 5 µm in size to a
susceptible person's eyes, nose, or mouth
Antibody - a type of protein the immune system produces to neutralize a threat of some kind,
such as an infecting organism, a chemical, or some other foreign body
Antimicrobial - able to destroy or suppress the growth of pathogens and other micro-organisms
Antiseptic - a substance that reduces the number of pathogens present on a surface
Asepsis - methods used to assure that an environment is as pathogen-free as possible
Aseptic - as pathogen-free as possible
Bacteriostasis - the inhibition of further bacterial growth
Chlorhexidine - an antibacterial compound with substantial residual activity that is used as a
liquid antiseptic and disinfectant
Contact Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by the
physical transfer of pathogens to a susceptible host's body surface
Contamination - the process of becoming unsterile or unclean
Disinfectant - any chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms
,Droplet Precautions - Measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an
infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles larger than 5 µm in size to a
susceptible person's eyes, nose, or mouth
Endemic - prevalent in or characteristic of a particular environment
Endogenous - produced within an organism or system rather than externally caused
Epidemic - extremely prevalent or widespread
Exogenous - externally caused rather than produced within an organism or system
Flora - the aggregate of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms normally found in a
particular environment, such as the gastrointestinal tract or the skin
Hyperendemic - at an especially high level of continued incidence in a population
Immunosuppression - the inhibition of the body's protective response to pathogenic invasion,
usually as a result of disease, drug therapy, or surgery
Infection - invasion and proliferation of pathogens in body tissues
Isolation - the separation of an infected person from others for the period of communicability of
a particular disease
Latex - a milky fluid produced by rubber trees that is processed into a variety of products,
including gloves used for patient care
Medical Asepsis - infection-control practices common in healthcare, such as basic handwashing
,MRSA - a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the
antibacterial action of the antibiotic methicillin, a form of penicillin
Pathogen - any disease-producing agent, especially a virus, bacterium, or fungus
PPE - devices used to protect employees from workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from
biological, chemical, radiological, physical, electric, mechanical, or other workplace hazards
Pneumococcal - pertaining to or caused by pneumococci, organisms of the species
Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia and other infectious diseases
Retrovirus - any of a large group of RNA-based viruses that tend to infect immunocompromised
individuals, including the human immunodeficiency virus and many cancer-causing viruses
Sepsis - the presence in blood or other tissues of pathogens or their toxins
Standard Precautions - measures designed to prevent the transmission of organisms and used
for all patients in healthcare facilities regardless of diagnosis or infection status
Staphylococcus - a genus of gram-positive bacteria that are potential pathogens, causing local
lesions and serious opportunistic infections
Surgical Asepsis - techniques used to destroy all pathogenic organisms, also called sterile
technique
Transmission Based Precautions - measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases from
people suspected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible pathogens that require
measures beyond standard precautions to interrupt transmission, specifically, airborne, droplet,
and contact precautions
, Vancomycin resistant staph. Aureus - a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has
become resistant to the antibacterial action of the antibiotic vancomycin
Ambulation, Transfer, and Range of Motion
Abduction - movement away from the midline of the body.
Active Range of Motion (ROM) - the process whereby the patient puts a joint through its full
extent of movement.
Adduction - movement toward the midline of the body.
Assistive Device - an object or piece of equipment designed to help a patient with activities of
daily living, such as a cane, eyeglasses or a hearing aid.
Atrophy - decrease in size, wasting away, or progressive decline of a body part or tissue.
