Glossary of terms
abrasion
a graze of the top layer of the skin or cornea
abscess
a pocket of pus with a wall
avulsion fracture
a type of fracture which involves a piece of bone being pulled off by the tendon or ligament which inserts onto it
bursitis
inflammation of the bursa, which is a pocket of synovial fluid lined by synovial membrane, close to a joint, such as the near the Achilles tendon or pre-patella area
concussion
a term used to describe physical and cognitive symptoms commonly seen after a head injury, such as repetitiveness, blurred vision or poor concentration
contusion
an area of bruising
degloving
an injury where the skin has been sheared, may or may not remain intact over the affected area, and may have lost its circulation
dehiscence
separation of the edges of a wound
erythema
redness of the skin
fasciitis
inflammation of a sheet of tissue called a fascia, which is connective tissue surrounding a body area, eg the sole of the foot
greenstick fracture
a fracture in which the cortex of the bone is broken on only one side, and the opposite side is stretched / buckled
haemarthrosis
bleeding into a joint
haematoma
a collection of blood / large bruise
Health Visitor
a nurse who has responsibility for a child from the neonatal period to school age in the United Kingdom; their responsibility lies in health promotion and wellbeing, which includes accident prevention, growth and immunisation
hyphaema
a pool of blood in the anterior chamber of the eye
juvenile idiopathic arthritis
arthritis, not triggered by infection or another disease process, which starts in childhood; there are several different types, affecting different joints and different age groups
lipohaemarthrosis
bleeding within a joint with fat cells also released, commonly from an avulsion fracture
locked knee
a locked knee occurs when there is obstruction to the sliding of the femur on the tibia, so the patient is unable to fully extend the knee, for example if the cartilage is torn
log-roll examination
a phrase used to describe when a patient is rolled onto their side to permit transfer to another surface, or examination, without moving the spine. This requires a team of people to coordinate the maneuvre
National Institute of Clinical Excellence
a national organisation in the United Kingdom which advises clinical staff about care pathways or treatments, based on current world research evidence
Play Specialists
A group of trained staff employed in United Kingdom healthcare settings to relieve distress in children by keeping them entertained and comforted, preparing them for medical interventions, and distracting them during procedures
safeguarding
a term now commonly used in the United Kingdom to describe all types of steps required to protect the welfare of adults or children
School Nurse
A nurse responsible for overseeing the healthcare needs of children in one or more school; in the United Kingdom every school aged child will have a School Nurse responsible for them
septic arthritis
bacterial infection within a joint
subungual
underneath the finger/toenail
synovitis
Inflammation of the synovium of a joint, such as the hip joint
tendinitis
Inflammation of a tendon, such as the Achilles
torticollis
holding the head to one side due to painful ligaments or muscles of the neck
torus (‘buckle’) fractures
bowing of the cortex, without actual breakage