Dental Emergencies & Records (Review: Outcome 2) Flashcards
Measuring vital signs consists of taking and recording what?
- Blood pressure
- Pulse
- Respiration
- Temperature
*Attention toward a patient’s immediate health should be the first priority of every healthcare provider
- By taking a patient’s vital signs on a routine basis prior to dental treatment, the dental team is confirming that the patient’s health status is a t a level of well-being
Uses of vital signs information
- Used to assess the patient’s health
(appreciate the importance of accuracy in obtaining and recording data) - Know the normal ranges for blood pressure, pulse, respirations and temperature
(to better identify and flag recordings that may be abnormal for any given patient) - Be knowledgeable on how to use the most common equipment to monitor blood pressure, respiration and temperature
(with accuracy and efficiently for correct vital sign readings)
What is the importance of vital signs?
- Safely proceed with treatment
(the dentist’s choice of local anesthesia may vary as a result of vital signs obtained on a patient) - It is the DA’s responsibility to obtain vital sign readings and record these readings in the patient’s chart
- Be aware of the normal ranges
- Make sure all equipment is in good working order
- Be familiar with what factors may affect vital signs
Factors that contribute to changes in vital signs
Emotional factors
- stress
- fear
Physical factors
- illness
- drinking or eating
- exercise
Pulse
A wave of pressure that can be felt when the heart contracts and propels blood through arteries
What are the 3 types of pulse points?
Only those close to the surface of the skin can be read:
- Carotid
- Radial
- Brachial
Where and how is the patient’s pulse usually taken?
Radial artery, on the thumb side of the inner surface of the wrist, using the index and middle fingers
What is the normal pulse rate for an adult?
60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm)
What is the normal pulse rate for children?
70 to 130 beats per minute (bpm)
What are the characteristics of a pulse and the definition?
1) Rate = number of beats that occur during the counting period
- example: 70 beats per minute
2) Rhythm = pattern of beats
- example: occasional skipping, speeding up, slowing down, arrhythmic
3) Volume or quality = force of the beat
- example: strong, weak
Procedure for obtaining a pulse
- Make sure the patient is positioned with his or her arm at the same level or lower than the heart
(arm should be well supported and extended straight out) - It is difficult to detect any possible arrhythmia (irregularity) in the heartbeat in times shorter than 30 seconds
Respiration
The process of breathing, inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide
- can be a voluntary or involuntary function as controlled by the body’s nervous system
How does a DA obtain a patient’s respiration?
- By counting the number of breaths (chest rising and falling) a patient takes in a time frame
*Patients usually change their breathing pattern when they know that their breaths are being monitored
- count a person’s respirations while your fingers are still positioned on the wrist as if taking the pulse
What is the normal respiration rate for an adult?
10 to 20 breaths per minute
What is the normal respiration rate for children?
18 to 30 breaths per minute
What are the characteristics of respiration and the definition?
1) Rate = total number of breaths per minute
- example: 15 breaths per minute
2) Rhythm = breathing pattern
- example: steady
3) Depth = amount of air that is inhaled and exhaled during a breath
- example: deep, shallow, gasping
What are the different types of respiration?
1) Normal = regular & comfortable @ rate of 12-20 breaths per minute
2) Bradypnea = slower than 12 breaths per minute
3) Tachypnea = faster than 20 breaths per minute
4) Hyperventilation (hyperpnea) = faster than 20 breaths per minute, deep breathing
5) Sighing = frequently interspersed breaths
Define Pulse oximetry and the importance
A procedure used for measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood
- Important for measuring oxygenation and pulse rate when a patient is sedated and during the recovery phase