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Nursing vocabulary · Emergencies and the Deteriorating Patient

Unresponsive

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˌʌnrɪˈspɑːnsɪv/adjectiveCore term

In nursing, unresponsive means: Not reacting to voice, touch or pain, so that the person seems unconscious; a sign that urgent help is needed.

In Turkish: yanıtsız, tepkisiz, bilinci kapalı

How it is used

Used in emergencies and handovers: 'I found him unresponsive in bed.' In the AVPU scale, U stands for unresponsive. When a patient is unresponsive, staff check breathing and call for help; if breathing is not normal, CPR is started.

Example sentences

  1. Help! The patient in bed 2 is unresponsive.

  2. She became unresponsive shortly after the dose of morphine.

Common collocations

  • found unresponsive
  • become unresponsive
  • unresponsive patient
  • unresponsive to pain
  • level of consciousnessHow awake, alert and aware a patient is, from fully alert to not responding at all.
  • CPRShort for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: chest compressions, often with rescue breaths, given to someone whose heart has stopped, to keep blood and oxygen moving.
  • code blueA hospital emergency call meaning that a patient's heart or breathing has stopped and the resuscitation team must come at once.
  • deteriorateTo become worse, especially when a patient's condition or vital signs change in a way that shows they are becoming more unwell.

More terms: Emergencies and the Deteriorating Patient

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.