Clinical Skills Flashcards
Target SaO2 for most people
94-98%
What clues might exist there is a respiratory complaint?
peak flows, inhalers, IV drips
Where can tar staining also be seen?
around the hair line - yellowing in fringe area
Signs of finger clubbing (5)
Change in nail bed angle Nail bed feels boggy Sharper angle with cuticle Distal ends of fingers may appear enlarged or bulging Nail curves downward
When asthma is considered severe, the PEFR is…
33-50%
What must you do before assembling and giving nebuliser?
the drug
polycythemic patients become cyanosed at ______ SaO2 because there is an increase in the level of the RBCs in the blood
higher
How can JVP be assessed if not visible using conventional method?
pressing in the RUQ to circulated more blood from liver
What should you ask the patient to do when auscultating?
breath deeply but at a rate normal for them, ask them to take deep breaths when they feel the stethoscope move
You take the average of PEFR - true or false?
False
Take the best of all three as given
FiO2 of Reservoir mask
60-80%
the nasal cannula prevents rebreathing of expired CO2?
true
Example of low pitched sound
bowel sounds
heart murmurs
When might a spacer be useful
when the patient technique is not great
When examining the posterior aspect of the chest for percussion and auscultation, what is best for the patient?
ask them to swing their legs round and sit over the side of the bed
Normal Pulse
60-100bpm
What does oedema in the legs potentially indicate?
DVT
Pulmonary hypertension/R. Ventricular failure
Second step when visiting patient
introduce self, check you have the right patient and confirm details, explain plan and gain consent
What does palpation involve?
feeling for the trachea in the neck - should be in the middle of the notch above the sternum
chest expansion
Normal SaO2 range for healthy individuals
94-100%
Where should you percuss and ascultate?
anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally
How loud are bronchovesicular breath sounds?
intermediate
When asthma is considered moderate, the PEFR is….
50-75%
When asthma is considered life-threatening, the PEFR is
<33%
Abnormal breath sounds are…
bronchial
How loud are bronchial breath sounds?
loud
Patients should bite down around the mouthpiece of their inhaler - true or false?
false
they should form seal with their lips and have the inhaler between their teeth
Moving on from hand exam what do you check?
pulse, resp rate, skin
bronchial breath sounds are
harsher than vesicular sounds
Example of high pitched sound
breath sounds
normal heart sounds
palmar erythema
redness of the thenar and hypothenar eminence
Location to palpate trachea
supra-sternal notch
What side of the bed should you approach the patient
The patients right
When asthma is considered mild, the PEFR is…
> 75%
Diaphragm of the stethoscope is best for hearing _______ pitched sounds
high
How might you assess your patients ability to take part?
breathing ability, use of accessory muscles, NEWS, ability to speak in full sentences
vesicular breath sounds normally have a shorter expiration than inspiration - true or false?
true
Target SaO2 for people who are at risk of Type II respiratory failure
88-92%
How do you perform percussion?
left finger lying parallel to the ribs and in between the ribs - tap using middle right finger
need to press firmly into the chest
Tracheal breath sounds are?
very loud
What can give inaccurate results in SaO2 measurements? (4)
nail polish, strong ambient light, severe anemia, CO poisoning
Less common causes of finger clubbing (6)
coeliac cirrhosis of liver dysentery graves disease overactive thyroid other cancers
Peripheral cyanosis can occur in isolation from central cyanosis - true or false?
true
situations where bronchial breath sounds might be heard?
collapse
consolidation
fibrosis
The reservoir mask can reach 100% oxygen delivery if used with high flow rates - true or false?
false
Type I Respiratory Failure
Low level of O2 without an increase in CO2
Pneumonia, ARDS
What should the patient do before taking the inhaler?
big breath out
Fine wrist tremor is indicative of…
b-agonist use such as salbutamol
Where must you inspect?
the axilla
common causes of cyanosis (3, 3;2)
lung diseases - COPD, pneumonia, pulmonary embolis cardiac diseases - R-> L cardiac shunt abnormal haemoglobin methaemoglobinaemia suflhaemoglobinaemia
How long should a patient extend their hands to indicate a tremor?
at least 10 seconds
Oxygen must be prescribed - true/false?
true
When might the trachea not be in the expected position?
where there is upper lobe pathology i.e. fibrosis, collapse or occasionally tension pneumothorax
How do you place your hands to check for chest expansion?
fingers splayed bringing chest towards midline. Have thumbs around the midline but allow them to move - look for equal movement of both thumbs
In anemic patients the SaO2 is higher before cyanosis occurs - true or false?
false
the SaO2 is lower because there is decreased levels of haemoglobin and thus longer before 5g/dL deoxyhaemoglobin