33 - VITAL SIGNS (WEEK 1) Flashcards
Means with a fever
Febrile
Rapid heart rate, over 100 beats per min
Tachycardia
An instrument used to listen to the sounds produced by the heart , lungs, and other body organs is a
Stethoscope
Taking the apical and radial pulse at the same time
Apical-radial pulse
Low blood pressure is
Hypotension
The number of heart beats or pulses felt in 1 minute
Pulse Rate
The amount of heat in the body that is balance between the amount of heat produced and amount lost by the body is
Body Temperature
The period of the heart muscle contraction; the heart is pumping blood
Systole
High blood pressure
hypertension
The cuff and measuring device used to measure blood pressure is
Sphygmomanometer
The beat of the heart felt at an artery as a wave of blood passes through the artery is
Pulse
Without a fever
Afebrile
Temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure are
Vital Signs
Slow heart rate, 60 or lower beats
Bradycardia
The amount of force it takes to pump blood out of the heart into the arterial circulation
Systolic Pressure
The period when the heart rate is at rest
Dystolic
The period when the heart is working
Systolic
The amount of force exrted against the walls of an artery by the blood
BP
Breathing air into and out of the lungs is
Respirations
The pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest
Diastolic Pressure
Elevated body temperature is
Fever
A device is used to measure temperature
Thermometer
Persons in nursing centers usually have vital signs measure
Every 4 hours
Unless otherwise ordered, take vital signs when the person
Is lying or sitting down
Body temperature is lower in the
Morning
If you are taking vital signs on a person with dementia, it may be better if
Pulse and respirations are done; temperature and blood pressure are done later.
What should you do if a person asks about their vital signs?
You can tell the person measurements if center policy allows it.
If you take a rectal temperature, the normal range of the temperature would be
98.6F–100.6F
37.0C–38.1C
If you are taking the temperature of an older person, you would expect the temperature to be
Lower than the normal range
For a 1-year old child with an ear infection, which equipment would you use to ensure safe and accurate temperature?
Electronic probe with a red stem
To read a glass thermometer, you should hold it at the
Stem and bring it to eye label
If you are preparing to take an oral temperature, ask the person not to,
Eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum for at least 15-20 min
An electronic thermometer is inserted into the rectum
1/2 inch into the rectum
when taking a temperature for persons who are confused and resist care, the best choice is to
Use a tympanic and temporal thermometers
Which site is most commonly used to check the pulse?
Radial pulse
Which site is used to take a pulse during CPR?
Carotid pulse
When using a stethoscope, you can help to prevent infection by
Wiping the ear pieces and diaphragm with antiseptic wipes before and after use
A pulse rate of 120 bpm would be considered
Tachycardia
You counted 40 heartbeats in 30 seconds. What is the person’s pulse rate?
80 bpm
The nurse tells you that the person’s pulse was thready on the previous shift. What is the nurse describing about the pulse?
Force
When taking the radial pulse, place
Two fingers on the thumb side of the wrist
You may count the radial pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 if
The pulse is regular
The apical pulse is taken
For a full 1 minute
An apical pulse of 72 is recorded as
72 – Apical Pulse
An apical-radial pulse is taken by
Having one staff member take the apical pulse and the second staff member take the radial pulse
A pedal pulse is found
Over a foot bone
When counting respirations, the best way is to
Keep fingers on the pulse site while you are counting the respirations
Each respiration involves
1 inhalation and 1 exhalation
The blood pressure may be higher in older persons because
Their diet may be high in sodium or blood pressure increases with age
The blood pressure may not be taken in the left arm
If person has a dialysis access site in the left arm
You will find out the size of BP cuff needed
By asking the nurse
When taking a BP with an aneroid manometer, you place the stethoscope diaphragm
Over the brachial artery at the inner aspect of the elbow
When getting ready to take BP, position the person’s arm
Level with the heart
The BP cuff is inflated
30 mmHg
Vital signs are taken when the person takes drugs that affect the
Respiratory & Circulatory Systems
Sites for measuring temperature (5)
- Oral
- Axillary
- Rectal
- Tympanic
- Temporal
Which site has the highest normal range temperature?
Rectal
Which site has the lowest normal range temperature?
Axillary
When you read a Farenheit thermometer, the short lines mean
0.2 (two-tenths of a degree)
How long does the glass thermometer remains in place for oral site
2-3 mins
How long does the glass thermometer remains in place for rectal site
2 mins
How long does the glass thermometer remains in place for axilalry site
5-10 mins
When taking an oral temperature, place the tip of the thermometer
Under the tongue & to one side
When taking an axillary temperature, the axilla must be
Dry
Tympanic and temporal thermometers are used for confused persons because they are
Fast & comfortable
The color red probe means
Rectal
The color blue probe means
Oral or axillary
When you take a rectal temperature, you —————– the tip of the thermometer or the end of the covered probe before inserting it into the rectum
lubricate
When taking a tympanic memebrane temperature on adult, pull up and back on the ear
Straighten the ear canal
The adult pulse rate is between
60 - 100 min
Forceful pulse is
Strong, full, bonding
Hard-to-feel pulse is
Weak, thready, feeble
If a pulse is irregular count the pulse for
1 min
When taking an apical pulse, each lub-lub sound is counted as
1 beat
The apical pulse rate is never less than
Radial pulse rate
Blood pressure ranges from
120/80
