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Principles and Techniques of Patient Care > Vital Signs > Flashcards

Vital Signs Flashcards

1
Q

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.

A

Apical pulse 

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2
Q

  Absence of oxygen in the tissues

A

Anoxia 

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3
Q

The absence of breathing

A

Apnea 

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4
Q

Variation from the normal rhythm

A

Arrhythmia 

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5
Q

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

A

Auscultation 

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6
Q

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.

A

Bradycardia 

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7
Q

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

A

Cardiac output

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8
Q

Profuse perspiration

A

Diaphoresis

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9
Q

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.

A

Diastole 

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10
Q

Labored or difficult breathing.

A

Dyspnea 

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11
Q

Disturbance of rhythm.

A

Dysrhythmia

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12
Q

Arising or produced abnormally

A

Ectopic 

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13
Q

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

A

Expiration

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14
Q

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

A

Fever 

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15
Q

Abnormally high blood pressure.

A

Hypertension 

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16
Q

Abnormally low blood pressure

A

Hypotension 

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17
Q

Pertaining to the groin.

A

Inguinal 

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18
Q

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

A

Inspiration

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19
Q

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

A

Intubation

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20
Q

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.

A

Korotkoff’s sounds

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21
Q

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

A

Occlude 

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22
Q

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

A

Orthopnea 

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23
Q

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

A

Pulse 

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24
Q

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

A

Pulse oximeter

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25
Q

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

A

Rale 

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26
Q

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

A

Rectal 

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27
Q

The act of breathing.

A

Respiration

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28
Q

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

A

Sphygmomanometer

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29
Q

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.

A

Stethoscope

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30
Q

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

A

Stridor 

31
Q

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

A

Syncope 

32
Q

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.

A

Systole 

33
Q

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

A

Tachycardia 

34
Q

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

A

Vital Signs

35
Q

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.

A

TRUE

36
Q

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

A

TRUE

37
Q

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

A
  • 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
38
Q

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

A

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

39
Q

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

A

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

40
Q

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

A

Body temperature

41
Q

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

A

Body Temperature

42
Q

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

A

98.6° F (37° C)

43
Q

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

A

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

44
Q

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

A

pyrexic,

45
Q

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

A

hyperpyrexic

46
Q

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

A

FALSE
All Abnormal findings should always be recorded

47
Q

Normal Values of Body temperature

A

96.8° F to 99.3° F
(36° C to 37.3° C)

48
Q

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

A

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

49
Q

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

A

TRUE

50
Q

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

A

TRUE

51
Q

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

A

FASLE
Body temperature increases with a major or systemic infectious process

52
Q

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

A

TRUE

53
Q

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

A

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

54
Q

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

A

TRUE

55
Q

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

A

TRUE

56
Q

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

A

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

57
Q

Sites for body temperature measurements

A

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

58
Q

Most common and most convenient Body temp. measurement site

A

Oral Cavity

59
Q

The least desirable body temp measurement site

A

Axilla/Axillary folds and inguinal folds

60
Q

Alternative body temp. measurement sites for hildren

A

Ear Canal
Temporal
Rectal

61
Q

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

A

FALSE
It is important to specify which ear is measured

62
Q

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

A

Pulse

63
Q

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.

A

Pulse

64
Q

Normative values for Pulse rate in
Adults

A

60 to 100 beats/min

65
Q

Normative values for Pulse rate in Newborns

A

100 to 130 beats/min

66
Q

Normative values for Pulse rate in children ages 1-7

A

80 to 120 beats/min

67
Q

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

A

Strong and regular

68
Q

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

A

Weak and regular

69
Q

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

A

Irregular

70
Q

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

A

Thready

71
Q

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

A

Tachycardia

72
Q

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

A

Bradycardia

73
Q

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

A

pulse oximeter

74
Q
A

Principles and Techniques of Patient Care (14 decks)

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