Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Nursing Techniques 1 > Vital Signs > Flashcards

Vital Signs Flashcards

1
Q

What are the factors that affect vital signs?

A

medications, illness/infection, age, hypovolemia/dehydration, environment, PO intake, hormones, circadian rhythm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the normal range for temperature and where are the sites?

A

36-38 degrees and at oral, axillary, temporal, tympanic, rectal
-core temperature is at the pulmonary artery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Pyrexia

A

fever– occurs when the heat-loss mechanisms are unable to keep pace with excess heat production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Hyperthermia

A

when the body is unable to release excess heat, resulting in a high temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Hyperpyrexia

A

is a very high fever 41 degrees or higher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Febrile

A

when a client has an elevated temperature, they are “febrile”– describes the client and not the temperature itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Afebrile

A

descriptive word for when a client does NOT have a fever– describes the client and not the temperature itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Hypothermia

A

occurs when the body temperature is 36 degrees or less–can be classified as mild or severe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What causes the pulse?

A

forceful contraction that pumps blood out of the left ventricle to the periphery of the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the cardiac output (CO)?

A

the volume of blood pumped in one minute– about 5L

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the average heart rate for an adult?

A

60-100 bpm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is stroke volume?

A

the amount of blood that enters the aorta with each ventricular contraction– usually 60-70mL

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Tachycardia

A

an abnormally fast heart rate of greater than 100bpm– can be caused by exercise, fever (and heat), anxiety, medications, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Bradycardia

A

a slow heart rate of less than 60bpm– can be caused by long-term exercise, hypothermia, relaxation, medications. etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Pulse deficit

A

a difference between the apical and radial pulse rate– can be caused by cardiovascular disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Apical-radial pulse deficit

A

same as pulse deficit, it is the difference between apical and radial pulse rates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Are inspiration and expiration active or inactive processes?

A

inspiration is an active process because the diaphragm contracts, and expiration is inactive because the muscles relax

18
Q

Eupnea

A

normal breathing– 12-20 R/min, effortless, automatic, quiet and regular

19
Q

What is the RR for a newborn?

A

30-60 R/min and then gradually slows as they grow older

20
Q

Tachypnea

A

a fast rate of breathing >20 R/min

21
Q

Bradypnea

A

a slow rate of breathing <12 breaths per minute

22
Q

Hyperventilation

A

rapid and deep respirations which may result in hypocardia (decreased CO2)

23
Q

Hypoventilation

A

slow and usually shallow breathing which may result in hypercardia (increased CO2)

24
Q

Dyspnea

A

difficult/laboured breathing, breathlessness, an unsatisfied need for air– the clinical manifestation of hypoxia

25
Q

Orthopnea

A

the ability to breath only in an upright, standing, or tripod position

26
Q

What does pulse oximetry measure?

A

is measures the ratio of oxygen in the blood that is combined with hemoglobin to the total amount of oxygen that the hemoglobin molecule can carry– indicates the clients oxygenation status (ideal range is 95-100%)

27
Q

What affects the O2 rating?

A

nail polish, impaired circulation, movement such as shivering, etc.– carbon monoxide tricks the oximeter into providing good readings of O2 because the oximeter can’t differentiate between O2 and CO

28
Q

Hypoxia

A

inadequate tissue oxygenation at the cellular level– can be caused by conditions like anemia

29
Q

Hypoxemia

A

below normal level of O2 in your blood, specifically in your arteries from conditions such as COPD

30
Q
  1. Who should wear a gown?
    a. Someone who feels cold.
    b. A healthcare worker giving a patient a
    bath.
    c. A patient going to the cafeteria.
    d. A healthcare worker who is doing an
    activity that may cause sprays of body
    fluids.
A

D

31
Q
  1. When should you wear gloves?
    a. When you want to avoid performing
    hand hygiene.
    b. When your hands may contact blood or
    body fluids.
    c. When you walk down the hall to get a
    clean bed pan.
    d. When washing a patient’s intact skin
A

B

32
Q
  1. Where is the patient’s environment?
    a. A patient’s home.
    b. A personal care home.
    c. The bed space around an occupied
    stretcher in the Emergency
    Department.
    d. All of the above
A

D

33
Q
  1. What is included in Personal Protective
    Equipment for Routine Practices?
    a. Safety glasses, long sleeved gowns,
    gloves, masks.
    b. Safety glasses, short sleeved gowns,
    gloves, masks.
    c. Prescription glasses, long sleeved gowns,
    gloves, masks.
    d. All of the above.
A

A

34
Q
  1. A mask may be left dangling around your neck.
    a. True
    b. False
A

False

35
Q

What is blood pressure?

A

the pressure exerted on arterial walls by the force of the heart’s contraction– the pressure rises and falls during the cardiac cycle

36
Q

What is systole?

A

the systolic blood pressure is the top (and bigger) number in bp– it is the highest pressure on the arterial walls and occurs during heart contraction

37
Q

What is diastole?

A

the diastolic pressure is the lower and smaller of the two numbers in a bp reading– the lowest pressure in the arteries during the brief rest period

38
Q

What is pulse pressure?

A

the difference between these numbers and is normally somewhere between 30-50 mmHg

39
Q

When can you not use someone’s arm for taking bp?

A

if they have had a mastectomy on that side, dialysis fistula or graft, an IV infusion, if the arm is painful or swollen, or if there is a cast or injury

40
Q

What are the BP values?

A

optimal– 120/80
normal– 130/85
hypertension– >135/85
hypotension– <90mmHg

41
Q

Orthostatic hypotension

A

also known as postural hypotension– when you measure their bp as they change positions to see if they are a fall risk

Nursing Techniques 1 (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions