CH 13: Vital Signs and Monitoring Devices

Question 1

What are the three ways to take blood​ pressure?

Answer 1

​Palpation, auscultation, and blood pressure monitor

Question 2

In a blood pressure reading of​ 120/80, what body process does the 120​ measure?

Answer 2

Systolic blood​ pressure; when the left ventricle contracts and the blood is forced into the arteries

Question 3

You are unable to find a radial pulse on a patient from a motor vehicle crash. You​ should:

Answer 3

attempt to find the carotid pulse.

Question 4

You have a​ 38-year-old patient who has fainted. Following your local​ protocol, you use a pulse oximeter to determine the SpO2. You attach the device to the​ patient’s finger; it gives you a reading of 91 percent. What does that reading​ indicate?

Answer 4

Mild hypoxia

Question 5

Where do baseline vital signs fit into the sequence of patient​ assessment?

Answer 5

At secondary assessment

Question 6

You respond to a​ 30-month-old patient who has passed out. Is the​ patient’s blood pressure important to your​ treatment? Why?

Answer 6

​No, blood pressure is difficult to obtain in children younger than age 3 and has little impact on the​ patient’s field management.

Question 7

You are about to apply a blood pressure cuff to an unconscious patient when you notice that she appears to have a tube underneath the skin of her arm. The tube feels like it has fluid going through it. You​ should:

Answer 7

find another site to measure her blood pressure.

Question 8

What is the pressure remaining in the arteries after the pulse wave has passed​ through?

Answer 8

Diastolic blood pressure

Question 9

Upon assessment of your​ patient, you notice that he has​ cool, sweaty skin. This finding is best described as which of the​ following?

Answer 9

Vital sign

Question 10

You are called to a​ 72-year-old patient with weakness and headache and an initial blood pressure of​ 140/92. Her repeat blood pressure at 5 minutes is unchanged. Her condition is​ called:

Answer 10

Hypertension

Question 11

You are assessing a​ 48-year-old male who is unconscious. The scene is safe and you hear the patient gurgling. What is your next​ action?

Answer 11

Suction the airway.

Question 12

Your patient is in late stages of liver failure and has requested to be transported to the emergency department. You notice his skin is warm and dry with a yellow color. Your radio report to the hospital should state your patient​ is:

Answer 12

jaundiced.

Question 13

If capillary refill is assessed in a child​ patient, how long should it take the normal pink color to return to the nail​ bed?

Answer 13

2 seconds

Question 14

The abbreviation mmHg indicates that the blood pressure is measured by which of the following​ comparisons?

Answer 14

Millimeters of mercury

Question 15

You are transporting a patient down a bumpy road. Your​ patient’s blood pressure has just been measured by the monitor at​ 190/110. The​ patient’s blood pressure on scene was​ 130/80. You​ should:

Answer 15

​re-measure the blood pressure manually.

Question 16

Recording and documenting your​ patient’s first set of vital signs is very important​ because, when combined with​ reassessments, it allows you to do which of the​ following?

Answer 16

Discover trends and changes in the​ patient’s condition.

Question 17

Slight movement of the chest during respiration is usually indicative of which of the​ following?

Answer 17

Shallow breathing

Question 18

Vital signs should be reassessed at least every​ ________ minutes for a stable patient.

Answer 18

15 minutes

Question 19

A patient with a pulse rate of 120 beats per minute is considered which of the​ following?

Answer 19

Tachycardic

Question 20

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Part 1
You respond to a childcare center for a report of an injured​ 4-year-old. Her pulse is 130 beats per minute. Which of the following best describes this​ finding?

Answer 20

Tachycardic

Question 21

Your patient is​ warm, dry,​ pink, and denies shortness of breath. Which of the following should the EMT expect to find when evaluating the​ patient’s oxygen​ saturation?

Answer 21

98 percent

Question 22

How often should a​ patient’s vital signs be reassessed during transport to the hospital after the pulse has been restored with CPR and the use of an​ AED?

Answer 22

Every 5 minutes

Question 23

You respond to a cafeteria to find an unconscious person with gurgling sounds upon exhalation and inhalation. What is the probable cause of the respiratory​ sounds?

Answer 23

Fluids in the airway

Question 24

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Part 1
Breathing sounds that should concern the EMT​ are:

Answer 24

​snoring, gurgling,​ and wheezing, crowing,

Question 25

What color is the​ patient’s skin if it is described as being​ cyanotic?

Answer 25

Blue-gray

Question 26

An increase in the work of breathing is reported​ as:

Answer 26

labored breathing

Question 27

When the heart contracts and forces blood into the​ arteries, the pressure created is known as​ the:

Answer 27

systolic blood pressure.

Question 28

The normal range for blood glucose is between 70​ mg/dL and:

Answer 28

100 mg/dL

Question 29

When the EMT checks the​ pupils, he or she is checking for what three​ things?

Answer 29

​Size, equality, and reactivity

Question 30

An approximate normal systolic blood pressure can be calculated for infants and children by using which of the following​ formulas?

Answer 30

80 plus 2 times the age in years

Question 31

The first set of vital sign measurements obtained are often referred to as

Answer 31

baseline vital signs

Question 32

You are transporting a patient to the hospital from a motor vehicle crash. Your​ patient’s initial blood pressure was​ 88/52. You should reassess blood​ pressure:

Answer 32

at least every 5 minutes.

Question 33

You are assessing a​ 55-year-old male complaining of chest pain and have determined that his radial pulse is barely palpable. You also determine that there were 20 pulsations over a span of 30 seconds. Based on​ this, how would you report this​ patient’s pulse?

Answer 33

Pulse 40 and weak

Question 34

You are assessing an​ 82-year-old female who has been lost in the woods behind her nursing home for several hours on a crisp fall evening. Your pulse oximeter shows her oxygen saturation to be 82 percent even though she appears to be breathing adequately. In order to ensure an accurate​ reading, you​ should:

Answer 34

warm the​ patient’s hands and try again.

Question 35

When taking blood pressure​ manually, the cuff should be inflated to what​ point?

Answer 35

30 mmHg beyond the point where the pulse disappears

Question 36

You are called to care for a child who has fallen out of a​ third-story window. You arrive to find the child in his​ mother’s arms. As you​ approach, you notice the​ child’s skin is pale with dark spots of cyanosis. You would report this uncommon condition of blotchy skin​ as:

Answer 36

mottling

Question 37

Which of the following is a normal respiratory rate for an adult at​ rest?

Answer 37

12 to 20 breaths per minute

Question 38

Which of the following are vital signs that need to be recorded for virtually every EMS​ patient?

Answer 38

Pulse; respiration; skin​ color, temperature, and​ condition; pupils; and blood pressure

Question 39

What category would include a patient with a blood pressure of​ 134/84 mmHg?

Answer 39

Prehypertension

Question 40

Which of the following best describes the proper placement of the blood pressure​ cuff?

Answer 40

Covering​ two-thirds of the upper arm