Vital Signs

Question 1

What are Vital signs indications of?

Answer 1

Homeostasis

imbalance could be a precursor of disease/illness
stress, food, medical condition, age, physical activity can affects vital signs

Question 2

Temperature

Answer 2

measure of heat production and heat loss

orally via digital thermometer
aurally via tympanic thermometer
temporally via temporal artery scanner
axillary and rectal temperatures not commonly performed

Question 3

Pyrexia

Answer 3

Fever; High body temperature

common cause is infection

Question 4

Normal temperatures

Answer 4

Normal oral, tympanic & temporal:
98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C)

Axillary temp. 1 degree F cooler on avg.
Rectal temp. 1 degree F higher

Question 5

Heart Rate

Answer 5

A reflection of pulse

Question 6

Radial pulse

Answer 6

located on thumb side of wrist
most common site for Adult pulse

Question 7

Brachial pulse

Answer 7

inside the upper arm
most common site for Children pulse

Question 8

Carotid

Answer 8

located in neck just below jaw bone
most common for use in Emergency procedures

Question 9

Other pulse locations

Answer 9

other locations reflect circulation distal to the pulse site

ex. A strong femoral pulse demonstrates circulation being sent to the lower extremity

ex. If pedal pulse (located in foot) is absent, circulation to toes is affected

Question 10

Pulse

Answer 10

is evaluated on Rate, Rhythm/Regularity, & Volume/Strength

ex.
rate - 70/min
rhythm - regular
strength - thready

thready - reflects a pulse as difficult to detect or faint
bounding - describes pulse as being very strong

Question 11

Heart rate relation with age

Answer 11

Heart Rates tend to SLOW with age

Question 12

Auscultation

Answer 12

Listening usually with a stethoscope

Question 13

Palpitation

Answer 13

the act of touching

Question 14

Respiration

Answer 14

evaluated on Rate, Rhythm, & depth

depth describes how much air is inhaled (ex. shallow)
decreases with age

Question 15

Normal Respiratory Rate in Newborn

Answer 15

30-50/min

Question 16

Normal Respiratory Rate in Adults

Answer 16

12-20/min

Question 17

Wheezing

Answer 17

A whistling sound heard on expiration that is the body’s attempt to expel trapped air

Question 18

Rales

Answer 18

Clicking or crackling sounds heard on inspiration that can sound moist or dry

Question 19

Rhonchi

Answer 19

Common rattling snoring sounds often associated with chronic lung disease

Question 20

Sphygmomanometer

Answer 20

An instrument used to measure blood pressure that has a graduated scale for determining systolic and diastolic pressure by increasing and gradually releasing the pressure in the cuff

Question 21

Blood Pressure

Answer 21

single most important vital signs in identifying the force of blood circulating arteries

bp tends to rise with age

Question 22

Equipment needed to measure bp

Answer 22

Sphygmomanometer
Blood pressure cuff
Stethoscope

Question 23

Systolic Pressure

Answer 23

The first sharp tapping sound heard during reading

when the blood begins to surge into the artery that has been occluded by the inflation of the blood pressure cuff

Question 24

Diastolic Pressure

Answer 24

The last sound heard during reading

when blood is flowing freely

Question 25

Korotkoff sounds

Answer 25

The 5 phases of articular relaxation that are audible while maintaining manual blood pressure

Phase 1 - Systolic Pressure
Phase 2 - Swishing sound as more blood flows through artery
Phase 3 - Sharp tapping sounds as even more blood is surging
Phase 4 - Sound changes to a soft tapping sound which begins to muffle
Phase 5 - Diastolic Pressure

Question 26

Normal BP in Infants & Children

Answer 26

60/30 to 100/80 mmHg

Question 27

Normal BP in Adults

Answer 27

100/60 to 140/80 mmHg

Question 28

Pulse Oximetry

Answer 28

Percentage of Oxygen saturation in the blood

95% is Normal
Nail polish blocks light & should be removed