Author: Glossary

  • Lochial discharge

    Uterine excretion following childbirth.  

  • Disruptive discharge

    The passage of current through an insulating medium due to the breakdown of the medium under electrostatic stress.  

  • Convective discharge

    The discharge from a high-potential source in the form of electrical energy passing through the air to the patient.  

  • Cerebrocortical discharge

    The electrical activity of an injured or malfunctioning portion of the cerebral cortex that gives rise to a seizure.  

  • Disaster recovery plan

    A document defining the resources, actions, tasks, and data required to manage the recovery of lost databases, programs, or other computing functions in the event of catastrophic damage to the computing infrastructure of an organization.  

  • Disaster planning

    A procedure for coping with mass casualties or massive disruptions of normal health care services as a result of human or natural catastrophes. In the U.S., the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Organizations (JCAHO) requires that all hospitals have a written plan in place and that drills be performed twice a year to…

  • Disaster mortuary operational response team

    A specially trained group of citizens trained to evaluate deceased victims of natural and man-made disasters and to provide them with mortuary services. DMORT members participate in the evaluation of the cause of mass deaths, in the identification of the dead, and in the processing and disposition of remains.  

  • Chemical disaster

    The accidental release of large amounts of toxins into the environment. The effects suffered by people in the area are determined by the toxicity of the chemical, its speed in spreading, its composition (liquid, solid, or gaseous), and the spill site, especially its proximity to a water supply or buildings. The major effect may be…

  • Disassimilation

    The conversion of assimilated material into less complex compounds for energy production.  

  • Disability rating scale

    An instrument used to gauge the functional capabilities and progress of a person with moderate to severe brain injury. A person who has no deficits after recovery from brain injury receives a score of 0 (not impaired). A severely impaired person who is unemployable, unable to care for himself, and unable to open his eyes,…