General Survey Unit Flashcards
General Survey
This is the first part of a comprehensive examination. It begins with noting your patients appearance and goes on to include vital signs and other assessments.
Broselow Tape
This provides important information about infants regarding airway equipment and medication doses based on your patients length.
Vital Signs
- Pulse,
- respirations,
- blood pressure and
- temperature.
Bradycardia
Slow heart rate (< 60 bpm)
Tachycardia
Rapid heart rate (>100 bpm)
Pulse Rhythm
The pulse’s pattern and equality of intervals between beats
Pulse Quality
The strength of the pulse.
The Normal Pulse Rate for an Adult
60 to 100 beats per minute
Popliteal Pulse
This pulse is located behind the knee.
Dorsalis Pedis Pulse
This pulse may be found on the dorsum of the foot.
Posterior Tibeal Pulse
This pulse is found behind the medial malleolus.
Carotid Pulse
This pulse is found medial to
Temporal Pulse
This pulse is found lateral to the orbit.
Radial Pulse
This pulse is found on the thumb side of the wrist.
Ulnar Pulse
This pulse is found on the little finger side of the wrist.
Femoral Pulse
This pulse is found in the groin
The Normal Respiratory Rate for an Adult
12 to 20 breaths per minute
Bradypnea
Slow breathing (<12 breaths per minute). It may be caused by drug overdose, severe hypoxia and central nervous system insult.
Tachypnea
Fast breathing (> 20 breaths per minute). It may be caused by hypoxia, shock, head injury, or anxiety.
Respiratory Effort
How hard the patient works to breathe
Brachial Pulse
This pulse is located medial to the biceps tendon.
The Quality of Respiration
This refers to the depth and pattern of breathing.
Tidal Volume
The amount of air the patient moves in and out of his lungs in one breath ( about 500 mL)
Eupnea
Normal breathing rate and pattern
Apnea
Absence of breathing
Hyperpnea
Normal rate, but deep respirations
Cheyne-Stokes Breathing
Gradual increases and decreases in respirations with periods of apnea.
Kussmauls Breathing
Tachypnea and hyperpnea
Blood pressure
The force of blood against the arteries walls as the heart contracts and relaxes.
Systolic Blood Pressure
The force of blood against arteries when ventricles contract.
Diastolic Blood Pressur
The force of blood against arteries when ventricles relax.
Korotkoff sounds
The sounds of the blood hitting the arterial walls.
Perfusion
The passage of blood through an organ or tissue.
Pulse Pressure
The difference between the systolic and diastolic pressures.
Hypertension
In adults this is defined as a pressure higher than 140/ 90.
Orthostatic Hypotension
A decrease in your patients blood pressure when he stands or sits up.
Tilt Test
A test used to determine if the patient has blood or fluid volume loss.
Positive Tilt Test
Pulse rate increase of 10 to 20 bpm, or systolic blood pressure decrease of 10 to 20 mm Hg on change from supine to standing.
Hyperthermia
An increase in the body’s core temperature.
Hypothermia
An decrease in the body’s core temperature.
Core temperature drops below 90°F (0 C)
Shivering stops, heart sounds diminish, and cardiac irritability increases.
Core temperature rises above 103°F (39 ‘C)
The neurons of the brain may denature.
Core temperature rises above 105 °F (41 C)
Brain cells die and seizures may occur.
Pulse Oximeter
A noninvasive device that measures the oxygen saturation of your patient’s blood.
Carbon Monoxide and Pulse Oximeter Readings
Falsely high oxygen saturation readings.
Capnography
A real-time measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide concentrations.
Colorimetric End-Tidal CO2 detector
Changes color from purple to yellow in the presence of CO2.
