Medical Terms

A-Line (Arterial Line): Narrow clear tubing which is inserted into an artery (usually in the wrist or groin). It allows us to withdraw blood painlessly from the patient for laboratory tests and to continually monitor the blood pressure of the patient.

CAT Scan: Produces highly detailed pictures by combining advanced X-ray machines with specially-programmed computersd. These pictures provide cross-sectional views (like slices of an orange) of almost any organ or bone in the body.

Chest Tube: Drainage tube placed in the space surrounding the lung which can be used to drain air and blood.

Draw Blood: Take a small amount of blood for laboratory testing.

Endotracheal (ET) Tube: A breathing tube which is inserted through the mouth or nose to the lungs. The breathing tube is attached to the ventilator (breathing machine). The patient cannot talk while a breathing tube is in place. Intubation is the placement of the endotracheal tube into the airway. Removal of an endotracheal tube is called extubation.

Foley Catheter: A tube which is placed in the bladder. It drains urine into a bedside collection bag.

I.V. Pump (Intravenous Pump): A machine which automaticaly delivers a pre-set amount of fluid from an I.V. bag to the patient through I.V. tubing.

Monitor: A screen above the bed which shows the patient's heart rate and other vital signs. Alarms on the monitor are quite sensitive and may "sound" just by the patient moving. There is a monitor at each bedside and at the central nurses station.

N-G (Nasogastric) Tube: A small tube inserted through the nose or mouth to the stomach. It drains the stomach and keeps the patient from vomiting. It may also be used to feed the patient or give medications that are normally swallowed.

Pulse Oximeter: A device that measures the amount of oxygen in the patient's blood. It is attached to a long cord and is usually placed on the tip of a patient's finger.

Suction: A procedure by which the nurse cleans mucous from the throat, mouth, or lungs. This is done usually with a long thin tube attached to a suction device.

Tracheostomy (Trach): A small breathing tube placed into a patient's neck to help the patient breathe better or remove excess fluids from the lungs.

Vital Signs: A patient's temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate (the number of breaths per minute), and blood pressure.

Ventilator (Respirator, Breathing Machine): A machine which moves air in and out of the lungs. It assists patients who are unable to breath adequately on their own.

Warming Blanket: A large plastic cover which is placed over the patient. It is used to warm patients (usually after surgery).

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