Vital Signs Flashcards by Lili Popp

The pulse that is found when a stethoscope is placed on the chest wall over the apex of the heart; also may be found by palpation.

Apical pulse

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Absence of oxygen in the tissues

Anoxia

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The absence of breathing

Apnea

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Variation from the normal rhythm

Arrhythmia

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Listening for sounds produced within the body by using the unaided ear or a stethoscope.

Auscultation

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A slow heartbeat (i.e., pulse rate less than 60 beats/min); may be a normal finding in a well-conditioned person or an abnormal finding.

Bradycardia

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The amount of blood that is pumped from the heart during each contraction.

Cardiac output

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Profuse perspiration

Diaphoresis

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The period when the least amount of pressure is exerted on the walls or the arteries during the heartbeat; usually indicates the resting phase of the heart.

Diastole

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Labored or difficult breathing.

Dyspnea

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Disturbance of rhythm.

Dysrhythmia

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Arising or produced abnormally

Ectopic

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The passive phase of respiration when the person breathes out; also referred to as exhalation.

Expiration

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Body temperature that is above the normal level; also referred to as pyrexia.

Fever

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Abnormally high blood pressure.

Hypertension

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Abnormally low blood pressure

Hypotension

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Pertaining to the groin.

Inguinal

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The active phase of respiration when the person breathes in; also referred to as inhalation.

Inspiration

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The insertion of a tube into the larynx to maintain an open airway.

Intubation

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Sounds heard during auscultatory determination of blood pressure; believed to be produced by the vibratory motion of the arterial wall as the artery suddenly distends when compressed by a pneumatic blood pressure cuff; the origin of the sound may be within the blood passing through the vessel or within the wall itself.

Korotkoff’s sounds

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To fit close together; to close tight; to obstruct or close off

Occlude

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condition in which breathing is easier when the person is seated or standing.

Orthopnea

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A palpable wave of blood produced in the walls of the arteries with each heartbeat or
contraction.

Pulse

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A medical device that measures levels of blood oxygen saturation, monitors pulse rate, and calculates heart rate

Pulse oximeter

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An abnormal, discontinuous, nonmusical sound heard on auscultation of the chest, primarily during inhalation; also called a crackle.

Rale

Pertaining to the rectum or the distal portion of the large intestine.

Rectal

The act of breathing.

Respiration

An instrument used to measure blood pressure; it may use a mercury column or an enclosed air-pressure spring system.

Sphygmomanometer

An instrument used to convey sounds produced in the body of a person to the ears of the examiner; it is comprised of a diaphragm, tubing, and earpieces.

Stethoscope

A shrill, harsh sound, especially the respiratory sound heard during inspiration in a person with a laryngeal obstruction.

Stridor

A temporary suspension of consciousness caused by cerebral anemia; fainting.

Syncope

The period when the greatest amount of pressure is exerted on the walls of the arteries during heartbeat; usually indicates the contractile phase of the heartbeat.

Systole

An abnormally fast heartbeat (i.e., a pulse rate greater than 100 beats/min)

Tachycardia

Measurement of a person’s body temperature, heart and respiration rates, and blood pressure; also referred to as cardinal signs

Vital Signs

T or F The patient’s vital signs are important because they are indicators of general health or physiologic status. In addition, the determination of a patient’s sense or level of pain is frequently included with the measurement of vital signs.

TRUE

T or F abnormal changes that may occur as a result of illness, trauma, exercise, or physical condition.

TRUE

It is particularly important to establish baseline values for the following persons:

- Elderly patients (older than 65 years) * Very young patients (younger than 2 years) * Debilitated patients * Patients who have performed limited aerobic activities for several weeks or months * Patients with a previous or current history of cardiovascular problems * Patients recovering from recent trauma, those with a condition or disease that affects the cardiopulmonary system hose recovering from recent major surgery

T or F Measurements of the patient’s height and weight can be used to establish goals of treatment, assist with the development of a treatment plan, and assess a patient’s response or treatment effectiveness

FALSE Measurements of the patient’s vital signs can be used to establish goals of treatment, assist with the development of a treatment plan, and assess a patient’s response or treatment effectiveness

General factors that frequently cause an increase or decrease in a person’s vital signs are the

Level or amount of physical activity, environmental temperature age emotional status physiologic status of the person

an indication of the intensity or degree of heat within the body

Body temperature

It represents a balance between the heat that is produced in the body and the heat that is lost

Body Temperature

The average temperature of ____ is the most generally accepted single value.

98.6° F (37° C)

A person whose normal core temperature is ____ or higher is considered to have a fever,

A person whose normal core temperature is 98.6° F or higher is considered to have a fever,

A person with a temperature higher than 100° F (38° C) is considered?

pyrexic,

A person is considered to be ____ with a temperature higher than 106° F (41.1° C).

hyperpyrexic

T or F All Abnormal findings are not always recorded beacuse its not important

FALSE All Abnormal findings should always be recorded

Normal Values of Body temperature

96.8° F to 99.3° F (36° C to 37.3° C)

T or F Body temperature is usually lower in the early noon and higher in the midnight

FALSE Body temperature is usually lower in the early morning and higher in the afternoon

T or F Body temperature tends to decrease slightly with age and is increased slightly in the very young

TRUE

T or F Body temperature may increase slightly in a hot environment and decrease slightly in a cold environment

TRUE

T or F Body temperature remains the same with a major or systemic infectious process

FASLE Body temperature increases with a major or systemic infectious process

T or F Body temperature usually increases slightly with physical activity but reaches a plateau as the person becomes better conditioned

TRUE

T or F Body temperature increases significantly during stressful or emotional periods (e.g., crying or anger)

FALSE Body temperature increases slightly during stressful or emotional periods (e.g., crying or anger)

T or F Body temp may vary depending on the measurement site

TRUE

T or F Body temperature is slightly higher at the time of ovulation, and a pregnant woman’s body temperature tends to be slightly higher than usual

TRUE

T or F Body temperature measurement may be inaccurate if measured orally within 14 to 30 hours of ingestion of warm or cold substances or smoking; the body core temperature probably is not affected by these factors, but a false reading is obtained as a result of the temporary changes in the temperature of the oral cavity

FALSE Body temperature measurement may be inaccurate if measured orally within 14 to 30 minutes of ingestion of warm or cold substances or smoking; the body core temperature probably is not affected by these factors, but a false reading is obtained as a result of the temporary changes in the temperature of the oral cavity

Sites for body temperature measurements

Oral Cavity Rectum Axilla Ear Canal Forehead/Temporal Lobe Inguinal Fold

Most common and most convenient Body temp. measurement site

Oral Cavity

The least desirable body temp measurement site

Axilla/Axillary folds and inguinal folds

Alternative body temp. measurement sites for hildren

Ear Canal Temporal Rectal

T or F When documenting, using an ear thermometer it is not important to specify which ear you measured

FALSE It is important to specify which ear is measured

indirect measure of the contraction of the left ventricle of the heart and indicates the rate at which the heart is beating.

Pulse

It is defined as the movement of blood in an artery, which can be palpated at various sites of the body or measured through auscultation over the apex of the heart with a stethoscope.

Pulse

Normative values for Pulse rate in Adults

60 to 100 beats/min

Normative values for Pulse rate in Newborns

100 to 130 beats/min

Normative values for Pulse rate in children ages 1-7

80 to 120 beats/min

Pulse that indicates even beats with a good force to each beat

Strong and regular

Pulse that indicates even beats with a poor force to each beat.

Weak and regular

Pulse that indicates that both strong and weak beats occur during the period of measurement.

Irregular

Pulse that indicates a weak force to each beat and irregular beats

Thready

Pulse that indicates a rapid HR (>100 beats/min).

Tachycardia

Pulse that indicates a slow HR (<60 beats/min).

Bradycardia

measures the level of blood oxygen saturation, monitors pulse rate, and calculates HR.

pulse oximeter