Glossary

Care given to a client, which includes, but is not limited to, assessment, planning, delivery, monitoring, evaluation and care coordination.

Nursing informatics science and practice integrates nursing, its information and knowledge, and their management, with information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families, and communities worldwide.

Actions that are part of the nursing care plan that are performed to allow clients to reach expected outcomes, such as providing physical treatments, emotional support and client education.

The application of specialized, evidence based knowledge drawn from nursing theory and the health and human sciences, including the principles of primary health care. It encompasses roles in clinical practice, research, education, consultation, management, administration, policy development, and regulation.

A scientific method used by nurses to ensure the quality of client care. This approach can be broken down into four separate steps: assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation.

Outline the baseline and expectations for quality care and best practices and establish measures to evaluate the care provided.

An unearned disadvantage when a particular social group is unjustly subordinated, resulting from a complex network of social restrictions, ranging from laws and institutions to implicit (i.e. unconscious) biases and stereotypes.

Direction from a regulated health professional with legislative ordering authority (that permits performance of a procedure by another.

Member held assumptions and values about their organization that is different form one organization to the next.

An approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment, and treatment of pain and other problems (e.g., physical, psychosocial and spiritual).

Refers to situations in which the nurse works with the client and other members of the health care team to achieve specific health outcomes for the client. Partnership implies consensus building in the determination of these outcomes.

An event or circumstance which could have resulted, or did result, in unnecessary harm to a patient. It may be a harmful incident, a no-harm incident or a near miss.

An advantage or benefit that an individual obtains for themselves or for people or organizations with whom they have personal connection. Personal gain can take the form of monetary benefits (cash, gifts, rewards, discounts), or non-monetary advantages (preferential treatment, support or benefits directed toward a personal of family interest). It does not include a nurse’s salary or employment benefits. Personal gain becomes relevant in the context of conflict of interest when it has the potential of influencing professional decisions or actions. For example, providing better care to a client that has offered you gift.

Identifying information about an individual in oral or written record. This comprises everything that an organization holds in its records about an individual, which can include for example: name, age, race, nationality, blood type, education, and identifying numbers or symbols.

An individual, family, group, community, population or system that accesses the services of the nurse; may also be referred to as a client(s), resident(s) or patient(s).

Point-of-care testing (POCT) refers to diagnostic tests performed at or near the patient’s location by health care professional or other qualified personnel. It can include tests conducted by the patient themselves at home or a community setting.

All people sharing a common health issue, problem or characteristic. These people may or may not come together as a group.

An approach to health that aims to improve the health of the entire population (all people) and to reduce health inequities among population groups. In order to reach these objectives, it looks at and acts upon the broad range of factors and conditions that have a strong influence on our health.

The assumed authority or influence a person holds over others by virtue of the title of his or her position. Power exercised in correlation with the perceived level of a position relative to others in the organization.

The nurse-client relationship is one of unequal power, resulting from clients’ dependence on the services provided by nurses, as well as nurses’ unique knowledge, authority within the healthcare system, access to privileged information about clients, and ability to influence decisions. This power imbalance can place clients in a position of vulnerability and potential abuse if trust in the nurse-client relationship is not respected. It is the nurse’s responsibility to recognize this imbalance of power and to be aware of the potential for clients to feel intimidated and/or dependent.

The understanding that people have multiple identities and make meaning of the world from the various aspects of their background and identities (gender, race, language, ability, etc.). These differences in social position and power shape individual and collective identities, as well as worldviews.

The nurse-client relationship is one of unequal power, stemming from the authority associated with their position in the healthcare system, specialized knowledge, influence with other healthcare providers in the decision-making process, and access to privileged information. In any professional-client relationship, there is an imbalance of power in favour of the professional, which is further reinforced in healthcare services by the vulnerability of a client needing care. A misuse of power can be considered client abuse.

A power of attorney is a legal document created to allow someone, or perhaps different people, the authority to act for you in relation to your property, financial affairs and/or personal care.

Practising nurse members shall be those persons whose names are entered in the register and who have complied with the requirements* of and have paid the fees set out in the by-laws and the rules

*See BYLAWS, Nurses Association of New Brunswick sections 1.02 (General Requirements for First Registration) and 1.03 D & E (Practising Nurse membership and Registration).

An educational program with admission criteria for graduates from a health-related discipline (for example, LPN). Students adhere to a structured program designed to support them meeting the educational requirements that satisfy NANB’s entry-to-practice competencies for RNs The duration of study for the PHEES depends on the type of program. Upon program completion, the successful student is granted a nursing baccalaureate degree (BN).

A registered nurses who teaches, counsels, and serves as a role model and supports the growth and development of a nurse in a particular discipline for a limited time, with the specific purpose of socializing the novice nurse in a new role. Preceptors fill the same role as mentors but for a more limited time frame.

The extent that a client’s outcome and future care needs can be anticipated

The standing given to a new program that meets preset criteria but requires a comprehensive review in the academic year following the first class of graduates before receiving full approval. Graduate(s) from programs with preliminary approval are considered graduates of an approved nursing program and are eligible for registration in NB.

When medication is obtained by deception. This may be through forged prescriptions, such as stolen, altered, or copied prescriptions. A prescription may also be completely or partially falsified with elements taken from a valid client or prescriber, or through identity theft.

A philosophy and approach that is integral to improving the health of all people living in Canada and the effectiveness of health service delivery in all care settings. PHC focuses on the way services are delivered and puts the people who receive those services at the center of care. Essential principles include accessibility; active public participation; health promotion and chronic disease prevention and management; use of appropriate technology and innovation; and intersectoral cooperation and collaboration.

(1) Physical privacy is the right or interest in controlling or limiting the access of others to oneself; (2) informational privacy is the right of individuals to determine how, when, with whom and for what purposes any of their personal information will be shared. A person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the health-care system so that health-care providers who need their information will share it only with those who require specific information.