EC Chp 13 Vital Signs and Monitoring devices Flashcards
Vital signs
Outward signs of what is going on inside the body including respiration; pulse, skin color, temp, and condition
Pulse
Rhythmic beats felt as the heart pumps blood through the arteries
Pulse rate
The number pulse beats per minute
Tachycardia
A rapid pulse; any pulse rate bore 100 beats per minute
Bradycardia
Slow pulse; any pulse rate below 60 beats per minute
Pulse quality
The rhythm regular or irregular and force strong or weak of pulse
Normal pulse rates for: Adult Adolescent School age Preschooler Toddler Infant 6-12months Infant 0-5 months
Adult 60-100 Adolescent 60-105 School age 70-110 Preschooler 80-120 Toddler 80-130 Infant 6-12: 80-140 Infant 0-5: 90-140 New born 120-160
When should you use the brachial pulse
For an infant who is one year or younger
A situation when you are not able to feel a pulse but the patient is awak and talking to you?
When they have a ventricular assist device; a pump implanted in the chest that helps the heart move blood through the circulatory system.
Respiratory rate
of breaths taken in one minute
Normal Respiratory rates for: Adult Adolescent School Age PreSchool Toddler Infant
Adult 12-20 Adolescent 12-20 School Age 15-30 Preschooler 20-30 Toddler 20-30 Infant 25-40 Newborn 30-50
Respiratory Quality
The normal or abnormal character of breathing
The 4 categories of respiratory quality are?
- Normal
- Shallow = only slight moment of the chest or abdomen
- Labored = increase in the work of breathing
- Noisy = obstructed breathing
Shallow Breathing
Slight movement of chest or abdomen but especially serious in unconscious people
Labored breathing can be recognized by?
Hard to move air in and out
Nasal flaring
Retractions of the clavicles
Sounds such as strider, grunting or gasping
Noisy breathing entails?
Obstructed breathing
Sounds are: Snoring, wheezing, gurgling and crowing
Respiratory Rhythm
The regular or irregular spacing of breaths
Best places to assess the skin color in adults are?
Nail beds
The inside of the cheek
Inside of lower eyelids
(Patients with dark skin, you can check the lips and nail beds
Jaundiced (yellow ) skin is a possible indication of what?
Abnormalities of the liver
Cyanotic (blue-grey) skin is a sign of what?
Lack of oxygen in blood cells and tissues resulting from inadequate breathing or heart function
Pale Skin is a sign of what
Constricted blood vessels, possibly from: Blood loss Shock Hypotension Emotional distress
Mottled (blotchy) skin can be an indication of what?
Patients with shock, especially with children and the elderly
Reactivity
In the pupils door the eyes, reacting to light by changing size
Cool, Clammy skin could be
Sing of shock, anxiety
Cold, moist skin is an indication of what?
Body is losing heat
Cold, Dry Skin means?
Exposure to cold
hot, dry skin indicates
High fever, heat exposure
Hot, Moist
High fever, heat exposure
Unequal pupils could mean?
Stroke Head injury Eye injury, Artificial eye, Prescription eye drops
Systolic Blood pressure
The pressure created when the heart contracts and forces blood out into the arteries
Diastolic pressure means?
The pressure remaining in the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is relaxed and refilling
Sphygmomanometer
The cuff and gauge used to measure blood pressure
Auscultation
Listening. A stethoscope is used to auscultate for characteristic sounds
Palpation
Touching or feeling. A pulse or blood reassure may be palpated with the finger tips
140/P means?
Blood pressure 140 by palpation
measured by noting the reading when the radial pulse returns when slowly deflating the cuff
Minimum age for blood pressure to be taken?
Older than 3 years old.
You can get more useful info about condition from observation, respiratory distress and unconsciousness
3 places common to take temperature
Oral, rectal, or armpit (axilla)
Tympanic thermometers are measured where?
In the ear, but are not enough for EMS use.
Neither are forehead ones
Normal temperature is?
98.6 degrees F or (37 degree C)
Healthy is also considered greater than 96 and less than 100
But also depends on time of day, activity levels, age and where it is measured
Older people have lower temps than younger people
Pulse oximeter
An electronic device for detaining the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, known as oxygen saturation SpO2
Oxygen saturation
The ratio of the amount of oxygen present int he blood to the amount that could be carried, expressed as a %
Co oximeter
Measures carbon monoxide as well as oxygen
91-95% on pulse Ox means?
86- 90% ?
85 or less?
91-95 =Mild hypoxia
86-90 = Significant or moderate hypoxia
85 or less = Severe hypoxia
Cautions with Pulse Oximeter readings:
- Patients in shoutings or hypothermic (exposure to cold)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- excessive movement of the patient as well as nail polish
- needs to be checked regularly
But good for check when evaluating the effect of an intervention
Glucose meters
Portable and reliable way to assist in managing diabetes
How often to people with diabetes check their blood?
At least once and can be also up to 5-6 times a day.
What is a normal blood glucose level?
At least 60-80 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) and
No more than 120-140
