Chapter 11 - Baseline Vital Signs

Question 0

What is a sphygmomanometer?

Answer 0

Blood pressure cuff

Question 1

What base line vital signs are needed, also called signs of life?

Answer 1

Respiration, pulse oximetry
Pulse
Skin
Pupils
Blood pressure

Question 2

What are the first set of vital signs called?

Answer 2

Baseline vital signs

Question 3

What are the normal respiratory rates ranges for adults, adolescents, children, infants, newborns?

Answer 3

Adults 8-24 per minute
Adolescents 12-20
Children 15-30
Infants 20-40
Newborns 30-60

Question 4

What are 4 types of respiratory quality?

Answer 4

Normal
Shallow
Labored
Noisy

Question 5

What is a pulse?

Answer 5

The pressure wave generated by the contraction of the left ventricle

Question 6

What is tachycardia?

Answer 6

Heart rate over 100 bpm

Question 7

What is bradycardia

Answer 7

Heart rate less than 60 bpm

Question 8

What should the skin be checked for?

Answer 8

Color, temperature, condition, and capillary refill

Question 9

What is capillary refill?

Answer 9

The time it takes for compresses capillaries to refill with blood

Question 10

What are the normal rates for capillary refill for adults, children, infants, females and the elderly?

Answer 10

Adults, children and infants - 2 seconds
Females - 3 seconds
Elderly - 4 seconds

Question 11

When checking a patients pupils what do you look for?

Answer 11

Size - dilated or constricted
Equality - pupils of the same size
Reactivity - pupils changing size in response to light

Question 12

What is blood pressure?

Answer 12

The pressure that is exerted on the walls of the arteries by the blood flowing through them

Question 13

Amount of pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries during the contraction and ejection of blood from the left ventricle

Answer 13

Systolic blood pressure

Question 14

The amount of pressure on the artery walls while the ventricle is at rest

Answer 14

Diastolic blood pressure

Question 15

What is pulse pressure?

Answer 15

The difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures

Question 16

What are the ways to measure blood pressure

Answer 16

Auscultation - listening for sounds through a stethoscope

Palpation - feel for the pulse

Question 17

What is pulse oximetry?

Answer 17

Method of detecting hypoxia in patients by measuring oxygen saturation levels in the blood

Question 18

What are the normal and low ranges for pulse oximeter reading?

Answer 18

Normal - 97-100%

Low - 94 and below

Question 19

What is Pulsus paradoxus?

Answer 19

The decrees of the pulse during inhalation of the patient

Question 20

What is orthostatic vital signs?

Answer 20

When you suspect a patient of having volume loss, you take there blood pressure in a supine position and the again standing.

Question 21

What does the mnemonic SAMPLE stand for?

Answer 21

S - signs and symptoms
A - allergies
M - medications
P - pertinent past history
L - last oral intake 
E - events leading to injury or illness

Question 22

What does the mnemonic OPQRST stand for?

Answer 22

O - onset
P - provocation/position
Q - quality
R - radiation
S - severity
T - time