vital signs Flashcards
vital signs
- shows response to physical, physiological, medical, and nursing treatments
- baseline, shows changes to patient’s normal
normal body temp range
96.8-100.4 F
36-38 C
other names for fever
febrile
pyrexia
what age group usually has lower temps?
elderly (fevers may look different)
what regulates the body’s temperature?
hypothalamus
what increases temperature in a woman?
ovulation
what two age groups have less control over their temperature?
the old and the young
hyperthermia
heat exhaustion or heat stroke (elderly are more susceptible) - vasodilation
hypothermia
body temperature less than 95F or 35C - vasoconstriction
symptoms of fever
- chills
- malaise
- increased metabolism (increased oxygen, fluid, and nutrition needs)
pulse
reflects functioning of cardiovascular system
pulse is an indirect measure of what?
cardiac output
normal range for pulse
60-100 bpm
normal strength for a pulse
+2/4
bradycardia
pulse less than 60
tachycardia
pulse greater than 100
what do you look at a pulse for?
- rate
- rhythm
- strength
- equality
- elasticity
what does bleeding do to a pulse?
bleeding will increase a pulse at first, the the BP will drop and the pulse will follow
normal rate for respirations
12-20
eupnea
normal breathing
dyspnea
labored or difficulty breathing
bradypnea
respiration rate less than 12
tachypnea
respiration rate greater than 20
what can affect the movements of the chest wall?
- pregnancy
- obesity - decrease lung volume
- ms abnormalities - kyphosis
- trauma
- chronic disease - COPD or emphysema
is inspiration an active or passive process?
active
is expiration an active or passive process?
passive
surfactant
chemical for surface tension - absent in premature babies
ventilation
amount of air inhaled per day
perfusion
supply organs with oxygenated blood
atelectasis
collapse alveoli prevent exchange
what is hyperventilation?
more ventilation required to maintain levels of CO2
what causes hyperventilation?
stress and anxiety
what do you do for hyperventilation?
- slow down breathing
- breath into a bag to rebreath CO2
cardiac output equation
CO = SV x HR
what is cardiac output?
amount of blood the heart ejects each minute
what is stroke volume?
amount of blood the heart ejects during systole
what is hypoventilation?
inadequate ventilation to meet O2 demand or remove enough CO2
what causes hypoventilation?
- lung disease
- collapse alveoli
- too much O2 to COPD pts
what creates ventilatory drive in healthy patients?
increased CO2
what creates a ventilatory drive in COPD patients?
decreased O2
orthopnea
difficulty breathing while laying down
hemoptysis
bloody sputum
what kind of medication suppress breathing?
pain meds
what is a pneumothorax?
air of fluid in the pleural space
what is a hemothorax?
blood in the pleural space
what are the symptoms of pneumothorax and hemothorax?
- pain
- dyspnea
- shock
(expect a chest tube)
what sounds do you hear with blood pressure?
korotkoff sounds
how should the pt be positioned for blood pressure?
pt should be relaxed with arm at the level of the heart
what is a direct measurement of oxygen in the blood?
blood gas measurement
what is an indirect measurement of oxygen in the blood?
pulse oximetry
what should a pulse ox be above
90
what can interfere with a pulse ox reading?
- movement
- jaundice
- dark nail polish
- outside light
is oxygen a drug?
yes
when do you suppress a cough?
only if it disrupts sleep
what do you want to know about a cough?
- chronic or recent?
- productive or nonproductive?
what is hypoxia?
decreased levels of O2 throughout the body
what is hypoxemia?
decreased levels of O2 in the blood
what is a late sign of hypoxia?
cyanosis
