Unit 11 Flashcards
Vital Signs
temp pulse respirations blood pressure pain
Reasons for taking vitals
signs of illness
potential health problems
response to treatment
NEVER guess vitals
report abnormal vitals immediately
Body temp
amount of heat body makes & loses
factors affecting temp
age- elderly less able to prevent heat loss
exercise
circadian rhythm- lower temp in morning, higher in evening
stress
illness
environment
Hypothermia
body temp below level needed for normal function
Fever
increase in body temp above normal range cause- illness & infection s/s- fatigue headache chills muscle aches warm skin, flushed
Oral temp
mouth
most common site
97.6-99.6
Rectal temp
most accurate
98.6-100.6
Axillary
armpit
least accurate
96.6-98.6
Tympanic
ear
Types of thermometer
glass (mercury-free) digital electronic disposable tympanic
Red for rectum
Blue or green for Oral
Don’t use oral temp if
unconscious using oxygen confused seizure injury to face nasogastric tube younger than 6
wait 10-20 minutes if
eating or drinking
smoking
chewing gum
exercising
Pulse
wave of blood through artery
60-100bpm
Radial most common
Tachycardia
fast pulse
Bradycardia
slow pulse
Pulse affected by
age sex exercise stress hemorrhage medication fever & illness
Pulse sites
Temporal (temple) Carotid (neck) Apical (heart) Brachial (inside elbow) Radial (wrist) Femoral (groin) Popliteal (behind knee) Pedal (top of foot)
observe pulse for
rate
pattern-regular or irregular
quality-weak or strong
Respirations
12-20/min observe- rate pattern quality (difficulty, noise, deep or shallow)
Apnea
not breathing
Dyspnea
difficulty breathing
Eupnea
normal breathing
Orthopnea
SOB when laying down
relieved by sitting up
Tachypnea
rapid breathing
Cheyne-Stokes
irregular breathing
periods of apnea then shallow breath
Apical Radial Pulse
taken to compare pulses
normal should be equal
Blood Pressure
measure of force of blood against walls of arteries
systolic- top #
diastolic- bottom #
hypertension
high bp
hypotension
low bp
Orthostatic Hypotension
drop in bp when changing positions
factors affecting bp
age exercise stress race heredity obesity alcohol/tobacco time of day illness
equipment needed for bp
stethoscope
sphygmomanometer
Don’t use arm if
IV amputation cast burns or injuries dialysis paralyzed due to stroke mastectomy
Normal BP
100-119/60-79
Low
below 100/60
Prehypertensive
120-139/80-89
High
140/90 or above
