Chapter 13: Vital Signs and Monitoring Devices Flashcards
Which of the following is NOT a vital sign?
- 1. Pulse
- 2. Mental status
- 3. Temperature
- 4. Blood pressure
Mental status
You should obtain the first vital signs:
During the secondary assessment
The vital sign that is least useful in adults is:
Capillary refill
The patient that you would expect to have the slowest at-rest pulse rate is a(n):
Athlete
An EMT should be most concerned with a pulse rate maintained above:
120 beats per minute
In case of shock or later stages of blood loss, an EMT would expect the pulse to be:
Rapid and thready
The first pulse taken by an EMT on patients one year old and older is the:
Radial pulse
If an EMT has trouble finding the radial pulse on a conscious patient, they should first:
Try the wrist on the other arm
A rapid pulse, or any pulse over 100 beats per minute, is called:
Tachycardia
A person is considered febrile if they have a temperature greater than:
101.3 F
All of the following are signs of labored breathing EXCEPT:
- 1. Nasal flaring
- 2. Retractions
- 3. Grunting
- 4. Palpitations
Palpitations
In cases of children and infants, an EMT can expect to find the highest normal respiration rates in a(n):
Newborn
The respiratory sound that points toward medical problems such as asthma is:
Wheezing
The respiratory sound that indicates a patient might need suctioning is:
Gurgling
The skin color that indicates poor circulation is
Pale
The skin color that indicates inadequate breathing or heart function is:
Cyanotic
For skin to be called “clammy”, it must be:
Cool and moist
When checking pupils, an EMT should look for all of the following EXCEPT:
- 1. Size
- 2. Reactivity
- 3. Equality
- 4. Color
Color
In cases of stroke or head injury, the pupils are likely to be:
Unequal
A normal systolic blood pressure for a 40-year-old female would be:
100
When deflating the cuff of a sphygmomanometer, the “systolic” blood pressure is the:
First sound
A normal pulse oximeter reading is at least:
96%
For unstable patients, an EMT should take vital signs every:
5 minutes
What is a normal vital sign in a light-skinned patient?
Pink, warm skin
A normal blood glucose level is usually at least:
70 to 100 mg/dL
The most important part of the patient assessment is the [_________].
Chief complaint
The outward signs of what is going on inside a patients body are the [_________].
Vital signs
The first set of vital signs an EMT obtains is called [_______] vital signs.
Baseline
The rhythmic beats felt as the heart pumps blood through the arteries is called the [_____].
Pulse
A rapid pulse, usually over 100 beats per minute, is known as [___________].
Tachycardia
A slow pulse, usually below 60 beats per minute, is known as [___________].
Bradycardia
Pressing too hard on the [_______] artery can result in a slowing of the heart.
Carotid
If the pulse rate, rhythm, or character is not normal, an EMT should continue taking the pulse for [____] seconds.
60
For determination of vital signs, an EMT is concerned with two respiratory factors: [_____] and [________].
Rate; Quality
An EMT should be concerned with an adult patient with a respiratory rate above [_____] breaths per minute or below [______] breaths per minute.
24; 10
Snoring, wheezing, gurgling, and crowing are examples of [______] breathing.
Noisy
[__________] sounds usually mean that an EMT needs to suction the patients airway.
Gurgling
A good place for an EMT to assess a patients skin temperature is a patients [________].
Forehead
The best places for an EMT to assess the skin color of a dark-skinned patient are the inner eyelids, lips, and [__________].
Nail beds
“Goose pimples” or “goose bumps” are associated with exposure to [_____], [______], or [_____].
Cold; Pain; Fear
In cases of stroke, a patients pupils will probably be [_________].
Unequal
The proper term for a blood pressure cuff is [_____________].
Sphygmomanometer
The force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels is known as [_____] [______].
Blood pressure
The center of the bladder of the blood pressure cuff should be over the [________] artery.
Brachial
Taking blood pressure by use of the fingertips is known as [___________].
Palpitation
Blue-grey skin is [_________].
Cyanotic
Yellow skin is [________].
Jaundiced
A person with a pulse oximetry level less than [_____] is considered to be in [_______] hypoxia.
85; Severe
A blood glucose level less than [_______] is considered to be low.
70 mg/dL
Capnography measures end-tidal carbon dioxide, or [______].
ETCO2
Pressure created when the heart contracts:
Systolic
Pulse felt in the major artery in the neck:
Carotid
Rapid pulse, usually above 100 beats per minute:
Tachycardia
Force of blood against the walls of blood vessels:
Blood pressure
Number of breaths taken in one minute:
Respiratory rate
Pulse felt in the major artery of the upper arm:
Brachial
To get smaller, as in the pupils of the eyes:
Constrict
Slow pulse rate, usually below 60 beats per minute:
Bradycardia
Act of breathing in and out:
Respiration
Normal or abnormal character of breathing:
Respiratory quality
Outward signs of what is going on inside the body:
Vital signs
Black center of the eye:
Pupil
Listening, as in use of a stethoscope for characteristic sounds:
Auscultation
To get larger, as in the pupil of the eyes:
Dilate
Pulse felt at the wrist:
Radial
Respiratory System: Sign
- Snoring
Respiratory System: Probable Cause
- Blocked airway
Respiratory System: Sign
- Wheezing
Respiratory System: Probable Cause
- Asthma
Respiratory System: Sign
- Crowing
Respiratory System: Probable Cause
- Medical problem that cannot be treated on the scene
Respiratory System: Sign
- Gurgling
Respiratory System: Probable Cause
- Fluids in the airway
Skin Temperature: Sign
- Cool, clammy
Skin Temperature: Probable Cause
- Shock
Skin Temperature: Sign
- Hot, dry
Skin Temperature: Probable Cause
- High fever
Skin Temperature: Sign
- Cold, dry
Skin Temperature: Probable Cause
- Exposure to cold
Skin Temperature: Sign
- “Goose pimples/bumps”
Skin Temperature: Probable Cause
- Fear
Skin Color: Sign
- Cyanotic
Skin Color: Probable Cause
- Hypoxia
Skin Color: Sign
- Flushed
Skin Color: Probable Cause
- Exposure to heat
Skin Color: Sign
- Pale
Skin Color: Probable Cause
- Shock
Skin Color: Sign
- Jaundiced
Skin Color: Probable Cause
- Liver problems
Pupils: Sign
- Dilated
Pupils: Probable Cause
- Blood loss
Pupils: Sign
- Constricted
Pupils: Probable Cause
- Narcotics
Pupils: Sign
- Unequal
Pupils: Probable Cause
- Stroke
Temperature: Signs
- 101 F, patient inside
Temperature: Probable Cause
- Infection
Temperature: Signs
- 105 F, patient in hot environment
Temperature: Probable Cause
- Heat stroke
Temperature: Signs
- 93 F, patient in cold environment
Temperature: Probable Cause
- Hypothermia
