Ch.12 Vital Signs Flashcards
____________ is a term used to describe a warmer-than-normal set point.
Pyrexia
A(n) ____________ scale is commonly used in the United States to measure and report body temperature.
Fahrenheit
____________ is a structure within the brain that helps control various metabolic activities and acts as the center for temperature regulation.
Hypothalamus
____________ stiffens body hairs and gives the appearance of what commonly is described as “goose flesh.”
Piloerection
____________ rhythms are physiologic changes, such as fluctuations in body temperature, and other vital signs that happen during 24-hour cycles.
Circadian
____________ affect metabolic rate by triggering hormonal changes through the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways of the autonomic nervous system.
Emotions
The ____________, or the underarm, is an alternative site for assessing body temperature.
Axilla
A(n) ____________ thermometer uses a temperature-sensitive probe covered with a disposable sheath and attached by a coiled wire to a display unit.
Electronic
A(n) ____________ ultrasound device is an electronic instrument that detects the movement of blood through peripheral blood vessels and converts the movement to a sound.
Doppler
____________ sounds result from the vibrations of blood within the arterial wall or changes in blood flow.
Korotkoff
Identify the procedure
The equipment in the figure is a Doppler stethoscope.
Explain the use of the equipment.
A Doppler stethoscope helps to detect sounds created by the velocity of blood moving through a blood vessel.
Identify the equipment
The equipment in the figure is a digital thermometer.
Describe the use of this equipment.
A digital thermometer looks similar to a glass thermometer and can be used at oral, axillary, and rectal sites. It has a sensing tip at the end of the stem, an on/off button, and a display area that lights up during use.
Rapid respiratory rate
Tachypnea
Pulse rate is less than 60 bpm
Bradycardia
Cooling of the ear when it comes in contact with the probe of the thermometer
Drawdown Effect
Use of calories for sustaining body functions
Metabolic rate
Blood pressure measurements are below the normal
Hypotension
Presented here, in random order, are four distinct phases through which fever progresses. Write the correct sequence of these events in the boxes provided.
- Invasion phase
- Defervescence phase
- Prodromal phase
- Stationary phase
- Prodromal phase
- Invasion phase
- Stationary phase
- Defervescence phase
What is systolic pressure?
Systolic pressure is the pressure within the arterial system when the heart contracts. It is higher than diastolic pressure.
What should the nurse do if the client’s temperature is not normal?
If the client’s temperature is above or below normal, the nurse should: Record and report the temperature. Implement appropriate nursing and medical interventions for restoring normal body temperature when appropriate. Reassess the client frequently.
What are objective assessment data?
Objective assessment data include vital signs (body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure) that indicate how well or how poorly the client’s body is functioning.
What causes an increase in body temperature during ovulation?
Body temperature increases slightly in women of childbearing age during ovulation as a result of hormonal changes that affect metabolism or tissue injury and repair after release of an ovum (egg).
How does emotion affect body temperature?
Emotions affect the metabolic rate by triggering hormonal changes through the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways pathways of the autonomic nervous system.
People who tend to be constantly anxious and nervous are likely to have slightly increased body temperatures.
Conversely, people who are apathetic or depressed are prone to have slightly lower body temperatures.
When is a paper chemical thermometer used?
A paper chemical thermometer or plastic strip with chemically treated dots is used to assess the temperature of clients who require isolation precautions for infectious diseases.
Some physician’s offices use them also because they are disposable.
A nurse is caring for a client with a high fever. The nurse notices that the client is shivering and their body is hot. The nurse has been instructed by the physician to record the client’s body temperature regularly.
How should the nurse ensure that the temperature measured reflects the core body temperature?
The nurse should insert the thermometer in the ear (tympanic membrane) to get the core body temperature.
The ear is the peripheral site that most closely reflects core body temperature.
How should the nurse document the different assessment sites in the client’s medical record?
To evaluate trends in body temperature, the nurse should document the assessment site as O for oral, R for rectal, AX for axillary, TA for temporal artery, and T for tympanic membrane.
The nurse should also take the temperature by the same route each time.
