Vital Signs

Question 1

List the Normal Adult Ranges for;
BP (Systolic/diastolic)
02 Saturation
RR
HR
Oral Temp. (both in C and F)

Answer 1

Normal Adult Ranges include;

BP- systolic 95-120 and Diastolic 60-80
02 Sat.- 97-99% though often a reading of 95%+ is acceptable
RR= 10-20bpm
HR= 50-100 bpm
Oral Temp= 35.8-37.3 C (96.4-99.1 F)

Question 2

List normal Child ranges for vital signs (Pg 142-143 of textbook)

Question 3

List normal Adult Ranges for:
Sodium (NA)
Potassium (K)
Chloride (Cl)
Carbon Dioxide (C02)
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
Creatine

Answer 3

Normal Adult Ranges include;
NA= 135-145 mmol/L
K= 3.5-5.0 mmol/L
Cl= 95-105 mmol/L
CO2= 25-30 mmol/L
BUN= 5-23 mg/dl
Creatine= 0.6-1.2 mg/dl

Question 4

What is the typically the core temperature in patients? Alternately what temperature is considered a fever?
(List both Celcius and Farenheit temps)

Answer 4

The core temperature of most humans is 37.2 C/ 98.78 F.
Whereas a fever occurs most frequently at 38 C (100.4 F) or higher.

Question 5

List the 5 different means of collecting a patients temperature. Which is the most accurate temperature and why is it used so infrequently?

Answer 5

Ways by which you can take a patients temperature are;
Oral temp readings, Tympanic Membrane (ear), Temporal Artery (forehead), Infared Scanner, and Rectal.
Rectal temperature procedures are the most accurate measure of temperature, but are rarely used due to th invasivenss and discomfort they cause patients.

Question 6

What are the Kartkoff sounds of Systolic and Diastolic BP readings?

Answer 6

Systolic BP, which is the force of the blood pumping against the artery, is heard as a “tapping sound”
Whereas Diastolic BP, or the reciol/resting pressure that follows Systole, is noted by the silence of the systolic tapping.

Question 7

What factors that would affect a BP Reading?

Answer 7

Taking BP readings on someone who is upset or anxious, positioning of the arm below or above heart level, crossed legs/feet, patient supporting their own arm, inaccurate cuff size, pressing stethoscope too hard on the brachial artery, failure to palpate the brachial artery while inflating, deflating cuff too fast or too slow, halting during descent and reinflating the cuff to recheck systolic pressure.

Question 8

Define Rate, Rhythm, and force when it comes to palpation of the pulse.

Answer 8

Rate= the bpm a heart makes
Rhythm= the pace of the hearts beats (regular/irregular)
Force= The force at which the heart is beating rating fron 1+ (weak), 2+ (normal), and 3+ (bounding)

Question 9

differentiate systolic V. diastolic

Answer 9

Systolic pressure is the maximum amount of blood flow against the artery. Whereas daistolic is the recoil/ resting force that directly follows systole.

Question 10

What is palpable systolic BP and how do you assess it?

Answer 10

Palpable systolic pressure is assessed by correctly positioning a BP cuff and then feeling for a clients radial pulse. You will then pump the BP cuff up, noting the number on the gauge when you feel the radial pulse stop.
This method is handy for asucultating Systolic and Daistolic BP as it gives you a range to inflate the cuff (20-30 higher than palpable reading), so as to more accurately obtain S/d BP.
It is also a good base reading in emergency situations where manual BP might not be the best use of time.

Question 11

IF TIME ADD A CARD WHICH DISCUSSES THE DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN ASSESSMENT.