Vital Signs Flashcards
- Objective measurement of one’s overall health status
- Provides important information on the status of the patient
Vital Signs Taking
Vital signs consists of?
- Temperature
- Pulse
- Respiration
- Blood pressure
Often called the 5th sign
Pain
Makes the pain worse
Aggravating/exacerbating factors
Eases the pain
Palliating/remitting factors
Where pain is located?
Setting/location
When did the pain start?
Onset
How painful on a scale of 0 to 10?
Intensity
How does the pain feel?
Characteristics
How long do you experience pain?
Duration
Determine the severity, 3 scales commonly used are?
Visual analog, numeric rating, face pain scale
Describe the pain, how it started, pursue the seven features which are?
- Location/setting
- Quality
- Quantity/severity (intensity)
- Timing (when did it start)
- Setting in which it occurs
- Remitting or exacerbating factors
- Associated manifestations
Noninvasive measurement of arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation of arterial blood, detects the presence of deficient oxygen in the blood before visible signs develop
Pulse oximetry
Percentage of all hemoglobin binding sites occupied by oxygen
Oxygen saturation value
Factors in pulse oximetry?
- Amount of RBC and hemoglobin
- Circulation under the sensor is impaired
- Patient activity
- Acrylic nails and dark nail polish
- Moisture and oils on the skin
What are factors indicating the need for monitoring of oxygen saturation?
- Acute or chronic impaired respiratory functioning
- Recovery from any type of anesthesia
- Any trauma including surgery
- Ventilatory dependency
Receiving of supplementary oxygen
Best location for a pulse oximeter is based on the ________ and ________, usually the ________ is selected for adults
Client’s age and physical condition; finger
How to assess client’s overall condition including risk factors for development of hypoxemia and hemoglobin level?
- Vital signs, skin color and temperature, nail bed color, and tissue perfusion of extremities as baseline data
- Assess for adhesive allergy
- Assemble the necessary equipment: nail polish remover as needed, alcohol wipe, sheet or towel, pulse oximeter
- Check if the pulse oximeter is functioning normally
When to assess vital signs?
- Upon admission and before discharge of the client
- At the start of every shift
- Before, during, and after an invasive procedure
- Before and after an intervention,
therapy or treatment - Before and after medication administration
- Whenever a client’s condition changes
Balance between the
body heat produced by the body and the
heat lost from the body
Body Temperature