Vital Signs Flashcards
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
Absence of oxygen in the tissues
Anoxia
The absence of breathing
Apnea
Variation from the normal rhythm
Arrhythmia
Listening for sounds produced within the body by using the unaided ear or a stethoscope.
Auscultation
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
The amount of blood that is pumped from the heart during each contraction.
Cardiac output
Profuse perspiration
Diaphoresis
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
Labored or difficult breathing.
Dyspnea
Disturbance of rhythm.
Dysrhythmia
Arising or produced abnormally
Ectopic
The passive phase of respiration when the person breathes out; also referred to as exhalation.
Expiration
Body temperature that is above the normal level; also referred to as pyrexia.
Fever
Abnormally high blood pressure.
Hypertension
Abnormally low blood pressure
Hypotension
Pertaining to the groin.
Inguinal
The active phase of respiration when the person breathes in; also referred to as inhalation.
Inspiration
The insertion of a tube into the larynx to maintain an open airway.
Intubation
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
To fit close together; to close tight; to obstruct or close off
Occlude
condition in which breathing is easier when the person is seated or standing.
Orthopnea
A palpable wave of blood produced in the walls of the arteries with each heartbeat or
contraction.
Pulse
A medical device that measures levels of blood oxygen saturation, monitors pulse rate, and calculates heart rate
Pulse oximeter
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
