diurnal variation

Medical term Patient Preparation

Normal rise and fall of some substances over the day; cortisol, for example, is highest in the morning and much lower by afternoon.

Sources

• Cortisol Test (Medical Test) · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Related terms

• clean-catch midstream specimenUrine collected after cleaning the urethral area: start voiding into the toilet, catch the middle portion in…
• copaymentA fixed dollar amount the patient pays for a service, such as $25 per visit, as opposed to coinsurance, a…
• deliriumSudden, often reversible confusion. A delirious patient may not give reliable identifiers, so a nurse or…
• diabetes mellitusLong-term condition in which glucose stays too high because the body makes little insulin, responds poorly…
• dorsal hand veinsVeins on the back of the hand, the next site to assess when the antecubital veins cannot be used.
• edemaSwelling from excess fluid in the tissues. An edematous (swollen) arm is not used for venipuncture; choose…
• empathyRecognizing and naming the patient's feeling while keeping the focus on them ("That sounds stressful")…
• express consentConsent the patient states directly, aloud or in writing; required for invasive or riskier procedures.

Study Patient Preparation

• Free Patient Preparation practice questions
• All Patient Preparation terms
• Venipuncture Sites, Veins and Sites to Avoid