session 3 Flashcards
assessment
- means the evaluation or appraisal of the patient’s condition
vital signs
- are the four key indications that the body systems are functioning.
- temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure
Temperature
- average normal body temperature is 98.6ºF or 37.0ºC
fever
- an oral body temperature of 100ºF or higher
hyperthermia
(high-per-THER-mee-ah)
- is an extremely high fever
albumin/o-
albumin; protein
calc/i-
calcium; lime; the heel
-centesis
surgical puncture to remove fluid
creatin/o-
creatine
glycos/o-
glucose; sugar
-graphy
the process of producing a picture or record
hemat/o-
blood; relating to the blood
lapar/o-
abdomen; abdominal wall
-otomy
cutting; surgical incision
phleb/o-
vein
radi/o-
radiation; x-rays
-scope
instrument for visual examination
-scopy
visual examination
son/o-
sound
-uria
urination; urine
hypothermia
(high-poh-THER-mee-ah)
- is an abnormally low body temperature
pulse
- is the rhythmic pressure against the walls of an artery that is caused by the beating of the heart
- reflects the number of times the heart beats each minute and is recorded as bpm
- normal resting heart rate differs by age group
- adults: 60-100 bpm
- newborn: 100-160 bpm
- athletes: 40-60 bpm
respiration
- which is also known as the respiratory rate (RR)
- the number of complete breaths per minute
- a single respiration consists of one inhalation and one exhalation
- normal respiratory rate for adults ranges from 12 to 20 respirations per minute
blood pressure
- is the force of the blodo against the walls of the arteries
- measured using a sphygmomanometer
sphygmomanometer
(sfig-moh-mah-NOM-eh-ter)
- measures a person’s blood pressure
- when using a manual style, a stethoscope is required to listen to the blood sounds
systolic
(sis-TOL-lick)
- blood pressure is recorded as a ratio with the systolic over diastolic
- systolic: the first beat heard
- diastolic: is the last beat heard
diastolic
- the last beat heard
pain
- is considered to be the fifth vital sign
- is a subjective symptom that CANNOT be measured objectively, it must be determined as reported by the patient
auscultation
- means listening for sounds within the body and is usually performed through a stethoscope
- Bruit, rale, stridor, and rhonchi
rale
(RAHL)
- also known as a crackle, is an abnormal crackle-like lung sound heard through a stethoscope during inspiration
- rattle
rhonchi
(RONG-kye)
- are coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring
- these sounds are usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways
- wheezing
stridor
(STRYE-dor)
- is an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box)
- harsh
bruit
(BREW-ee)
- is an abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery
- these sounds are usually due to a partially blocked, narrowed, or diseased artery
- blowing
heart murmur
- is an abnormal heart sound that is most commonly a sign of defective heart valves
- heart murmurs are described by volume and the stage of the heartbeat when the murmur is heard
abdominal sounds
- also known as bowel sounds
- are normal noises made by the intestines
- auscultation of the abdomen is performed to evaluate these sounds and to detect abnormalities
- ex: increased bowel sounds can indicate a bowel obstruction
palpation
(pal-PAY-shun)
- is an examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts
percussion
(per-KUSH-un)
- is a diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers
ophthalmoscope
(ahf-THAL-moh-skope)
- is an instrument used to examine the interior of the eye
otoscope
(OH-toh-skope)
- is an instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane
speculum
(SPECK-you-lum)
- is an instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity to facilitate inspection of its interior
stehoscope
(STETH-oh-scope)
- is an instrument used to listen to sounds within the body
recumbent
(ree-KUM-bent)
- describes any position in which the patient is lying down
horizontal recumbent position
- also known as the supine position
- the patient is lying on the back, facing up
- position is used for examination and treatment of the anterior surface of the body and for x-rays
dorsal recumbent position
- the patient is lying on the back, face up, with the knees bent
- this position is used for the examination and treatment of the abdominal area and for vaginal or rectal exams
lithotomy position
(lih-THOT-oh-mee)
- the patient is lying on the back, face up, with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups
- this position is used for vaginal and rectal examinations and during childbirth
prone position
- the patient is lying on the abdomen, face down
- the arms may be placed under the head for comfort
- this position is used for the examination and treatment of the back and buttocks
Sims’ position
- the patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the back
- this position is used in the examination and treatment of the rectal area
knee-chest position
- the patient is lying face down with the hips bent so that the knees and chest rest on the table
- this position is also used for rectal examinations
stat
- the results of a lab test are needed immediately
- the test has top priority in the lab
profile
- tests that are frequently performed as a group on automated multi-channel lab testing equipment
phlebotomist
(fleh-BOT-oh-mist)
- is a medical professional who is trained to draw blood from patients for various lab tests and other procedures
phlebotomy
(fleh-BOT-oh-mee)
- also known as veni-punture
- is the puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood
arterial stick
- is the puncture of an artery, usually on the inside of the wrist, to obtain arterial blood
- arterial blood differs from venous blood mostly in the concentration of dissolved gases it contains
capillary puncture
- is the technique used when only a small amount of blood is needed as a specimen for a blood test
- can be done in the finger, heel, or an earlobe
erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
(eh-RITH-roh-site)
- also known as a sed rate
- is a test based on the speed which the red blood cells separate from the plasma and fall to the bottom of a specialized test tube
hematocrit (HCT)
(hee-MAT-oh-krit)
- describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells
- this test is used to diagnose abnormal states of hydration, polycythemia (excess RBCs), and anemia (deficient RBCs)
platelet count (PLC)
- measures the number of platelets in a specified amount of blood and is a screening test to evaluate platelet function
- it is also used to monitor changes in the blood associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy
- these changes include thrombocytosis and thrombocytopenia
thrombocytosis
- an abnormal increase in the number of platelets
thrombocytopenia
- an abnormal decrease in the number of platelets
polycythemia
- excess red blood cells
anemia
- deficient red blood cells
PERRLA
- an exam
- Pupils Equal, Round, Responsive to Light and Accomodation
Red blood cell count (RBC)
- is a determination of the number of erythrocytes in the blood
- a depressed count can indicate anemia or a hemorrhage lasting more than 24 hours
total hemoglobin test (Hb)
- is usually a part of a complete blood count
- elevated Hb levels indicate a higher than normal hemoglobin concentration in the plasma due to polycythemia or dehydration
- low Hb indicates lower than normal hemoglobin concentration due to anemia, recent hemorrhage, or fluid retention
white blood cell count (WBC)
- is a determination of the number of leukocytes in the blood
- elevated count can be an indication of infection or inflammation
white blood cell differential count
- tests to see what percentage of the total white blood cell count is composed of each of the five types of leukocytes
- this provide information about the patient’s immune system, detects certain types of leukemia, and determines the severity of an infection.
basic metabolic panel (BMP or profile 8)
- is a group of eight specific blood tests that provide important information about the current status of the patient’s kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, and calcium levels
- significant changes in these test results can indicate acute problems such as kidney failure, insulin shock or diabetic coma, respiratory distress, or heart rhythm changes
blood urea nitrogen test (BUN test)
- measures the amount of nitrogen in the blood due to the waste product urea.
- this test is performed to obtain an indication of kidney function
urea
(you-REE-ah)
- is the major end product of protein metabolism found in urine and blood
crossmatch tests
- are performed to determine the compatibility of blood donor and the recipient before a blood transfusion
- Agglutination is a positive reaction that indicates the donor unit is not a suitable match
agglutination
- clumping together of RBCs
C-reactive protein test (CRP)
- is performed to indentify high levels of inflammation within the body
- the information provided by this test is obtained by the presence of the C-reactive protein, which is produced by the liver only during episodes of acute inflammation
- although this test does not ID the specific cause of the inflammation, an elevated level can indicate a heart attack, a coronary artery disease, or an autoimmune disorder
lipid panel
- measures the amounts of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides in a blood sample
prothrombin time
(proh-THROM-bin)
- also known as pro time
- is a test used to diagnose conditions associated with abnormalities of clotting time and to monitor anticoagulant therapy
- a longer prothrombin time can be caused by serious liver disease, bleeding disorders, blood-thinning medicines, or a lack of Vitamin K
serum bilirubin test
- measures the ability of the liver to take up, process, and secrete bilirubin into the bile
- this test is useful in determining whether a patient has liver disease of a blocked bile duct
thyroid-stimulating hormone assay
- measures circulating blood levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that can indicate abnormal thyroid activity
arterial blood gas analysis (ABG)
- measures the pH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels of arterial blood
- this test is used to evaluate lung and kidney function and overall metabolism
urinalysis
(you-rih-NAL-ih-sis)
- is the examination of physical and chemical properties of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements
routine urinalysis
- performed to screen for urinary and systemic disorders
- utilizes a dipstick that is impregnated with chemicals that react with substances in the urine and change color when abnormalities are present
microscopic examination
- examination of a specimen, which is performed when more-detailed testing of the specimen is necessary
casts
- are fibrous or protein materials, such as pus and fats, that are thrown off into the urine in kidney disease
pH
- degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance
- average normal pH range of urine is from 4.5 to 8.0
- pH value below 7 indicates acid in urine and is an indication of acidosis
- pH value above 7 indicates alkaline urine and can indicate conditions such as a UTI
acidosis
- excessive acid in the body fluids
specific gravity
- of urine reflects the amount of wastes, minerals, and solids that are present
- low specific gravity (dilute urine): a characteristic of diabetes insipidus
- high specific gravity (concentrated urine): occurs in conditions such as dehydration, liver failure, or shock
low specific gravity
- dilute urine
- a characteristic of diabetes insipidus