Blood Pressure and Vital Signs

Question 1

what equipment do you need?

Answer 1

stethoscope
sphygmomanometer
thermometer
charts for recording

Question 2

how do you attach the blood pressure cuff?

Answer 2

Clean it
arm preference
appropriate size
in line with brachial artery

Question 3

how do you estimate the systolic pressure?

Answer 3

palpate the radial pulse

inflate the cuff until the pulse disappears

Question 4

how do you take an accurate blood pressure reading?

Answer 4

clean the stethoscope
stethoscope over the brachial artery
inflate the cuff to just above the estimate
start deflating
1st korotkoff sound (thumping) is the systolic
keep deflating
when the korotkoff sounds disappear, it is the diastolic

Question 5

what pulses do you palpate and what are you measuring/assessing at each?

Answer 5

radial - rate (60-100) and rhythm (reg/irreg)

carotid and brachial - volume and character

Question 6

how do you measure temperature?

Answer 6

oral - sub lingual
make sure you clean the thermometer before and after
wait 15-30 mins after eating, exercise, smoking

can do axillary but it is less desirable

Question 7

what are you assessing for with respiration?

Answer 7

rate (12-18)
depth
pattern

Question 8

what are the vital signs that need to be measured?

Answer 8

blood pressure
temperature
pulses
respiratory rate

Question 9

what do you have to remember to do?

Answer 9

clean things

plot the results