I Glossary
Accountability: Being answerable to oneself and others for one’s own choices, decisions, and actions as measured against a standard.[1] (Chapter 1.8)
Actual versus potential nursing problems: A prioritization strategy that considers the type of nursing problem when prioritizing care. Actual problems refer to a clinical problem that is actively occurring with the client. A risk problem indicates the client may potentially experience a problem, but they do not have current signs or symptoms of the problem actively occurring. (Chapter 1.9)
Acuity: The level of client care that is required based on the severity of a client’s illness or condition. For example, acuity may include characteristics such as unstable vital signs, oxygenation therapy, high-risk IV medications, multiple drainage devices, or uncontrolled pain. A “high acuity” client requires several nursing interventions and frequent nursing assessments. (Chapter 1.9)
Acuity-rating staffing models: A strategy for making client assignments to equitably assign clients to nursing staff according to their acuity ratings. This means that when comparing client assignments across the nursing team on a unit, similar acuity team scores should be seen with the goal of achieving equitable and safe division of workload across the nursing team. (Chapter 1.9)
Acute versus chronic conditions: A prioritization strategy that considers acute versus chronic medical conditions. Acute conditions have a sudden and severe onset. These conditions occur due to a sudden illness or injury, and the body often has a significant response as it attempts to adapt. Chronic conditions have a slow onset and may gradually worsen over time. (Chapter 1.9)
Airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs): A prioritization strategy, similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, that guides nursing decision-making based on the most critical needs for preserving human life. (Chapter 1.9)
Authentic leaders: Leaders who have an honest and direct approach with employees, demonstrating self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, and relationship transparency. They strive for trusting, symmetrical, and close leader–follower relationships; promote the open sharing of information; and consider others’ viewpoints. (Chapter 1.3)
Authoritarian leadership: The leader has full power. Authoritarian leaders tell team members what to do and expect team members to execute their plans. (Chapter 1.3)
Basic nursing care: “Care that can be performed following a defined nursing procedure with minimal modification in which the responses of the patient to the nursing care are predictable.”[2] (Chapter 1.7)
Basic patient situation: “A situation determined by an RN, physician, podiatrist, dentist, or optometrist that meets the following three conditions[3]:
- The patient’s clinical condition is predictable.
- Medical or nursing orders are not changing frequently and do not contain complex modifications.
- The patient’s clinical condition requires only basic