Clinical Observations; temperature and Blood Pressure

Question 1

Normal Temperature Range

Answer 1

No such thing as a ‘normal’ as depends on age, health and gender. But 35.8-37.5 is required for normal cellular metabolism

Question 2

Different Ways Temperature can be Taken

Answer 2

• Orally (mouth)
• Axillary (under arm)
• Tympanic (ear) (one we do as paramedics)

Question 3

How to use an Oral Tempadot (used on placements

Answer 3

1. Wait 15 mins if person has had hot or cold drink
2. Place under tongue (see diagram)
3. Ask Patient to press tongue down
4. Leave for a minute
5. Remove, wait 10 seconds
6. Read along to the last blue dot, which is their temperature

Question 4

How to use an Auxiliary Tempadot (used on placements)

Answer 4

1. Position high under armpit with good torso contact
2. Remove after 3 minutes
3. Read to last blue dot

Question 5

How to use a Tympanic Membrane Thermometer (one we do)

Answer 5

1. Clean equipment
2. Let patient know what happening
3. Put plastic cover onto probe
4. Take the top of the ear (pinna pull it up and back to straighten ear canal
5. Place in ear
6. Push button and wait till beep, document number
7. Dispose of cover, clean equipment

Question 6

What temperature is classed as Pyrexia

Answer 6

38 degrees

Question 7

What causes pyrexia?

Answer 7

infection, post trauma, hypervolaemia, neurological disturbances eg stroke

Question 8

What Temperature is classed as Hypothermic?

Answer 8

<35 degrees

Question 9

What causes Hypothermia?

Answer 9

old age, hypothyroidism, post immersion, liver failure, alcoholism

Question 10

Why do we take a BP?

Answer 10

• Determine if enough pressure to circulate blood + perfuse tissues
• Act as baseline to compare previous readings/patient knowledge
• Establish trend
• Monitor response to treatment

Question 11

Things that Effect BP

Answer 11

Age, exercise, stress, emotions, weight, race

Question 12

What is Hypertension

Answer 12

When blood pressure is too high

Question 13

What is Hypotension

Answer 13

When blood pressure is too low

Question 14

What causes Hypertension?

Answer 14

age, pain, stress, acute, long-term conditions

Question 15

What causes Hypotension?

Answer 15

postural hypotension, shock hypovolaemia

Question 16

What is blood pressure and what is it measured in?

Answer 16

“The pressure the blood exerts against the inner walls of the blood vessels and the force that keeps blood circulating continuously even between heart beats.” BP is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg)

Question 17

What is Systolic Pressure?

Answer 17

the maximum pressure exerted one the vessel wall during left ventricular contraction

Question 18

What is Diastolic Pressure?

Answer 18

the resting pressure that the blood exerts between ventricular contractions

Question 19

What is Pulse Pressure?

Answer 19

the difference between the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure

Question 20

What are we doing when we take a BP?

Answer 20

Using the brachial artery, we stop blood flow and listen to its return into the vessel by inflating then deflating

Question 21

Patient Prep for Blood Pressure

Answer 21

1. Has the patient had a BP before?
2. Are they resting/comfortable?
3. Upper arm should be at heart level
4. Remove tight clothing

Question 22

Steps to Taking a BP Reading

Answer 22

1. Locate the brachial artery
2. Put on cuff, placing arrow onto artery just found
3. Locate radial artery
4. Inflate till you no longer feel the radial pulse
5. Note pressure reading
6. Deflate the cuff
7. Place stethoscope in bridge of arm to the side of the brachial artery
8. Inflate 20 above previous reading
9. Note the numbers in which the ‘tapping’ sounds starts (systolic) to when they stop (diastolic)