Vital Signs Flashcards
Name 3 circumstances when you would take vital signs in the Hospital
- When they are admitted
- Changes in behavior / status
- Before and after surgery
Discuss steps you would take to obtain vitals on a patient
- Gather all equipment ; thermometer pulseox and BP cuff and stethoscope always sanitize equipment before use
- Before seeing the patient review their chart to see if there are factors that would affect their vitals
- explain to the patient what will done and make sure the area is appropriate and the patient is comfortable
What factors can account for change in temperature
Circadian rhythm ; it is lowest in the morning and highest in the afternoon / evening
1. Age
2 environment
3. Physical activity
A patient has their jaw wired shut what is the best way to take their temp?
Temporal, tympanic, or axillary
Tympanic is the best choice because it is the most accurate
Why do we take apical pulse?
What would be the best way to take a toddlers pulse?
- When the patient has an abnormal pulse; weak or rapid pulse HR < 60 HR > 100
- When the patient is on medications that can alter their HR.
- Make sure listen for 1 min.
Patients 2 years or younger should use apical pulse for HR.
When would it be appropriate to assess a patients carotid or femoral plus?
When would you assess a patients pop teal or dorsalis pedis?
What artery do ne palpate on an infant in an emergency?
- Coratid / femoral:emergencies
- Popliteal/dosalis: assess good flow to lower extremities, patient w/ PVD, sx in legs, DVT
- Infants is brachial
What happens to a patients pulse when hemorrhaging? What about when they nave low pulse ox?
The patients pulse increases because the body is compensating for the blood loss - The heart is trying to pump faster to help circulate because there is blood being lost
With a low pulse ox their O2 saturation is low so HR. Would increase because the heart is working harder to oxygenate the blood
If a patients HR. Is 112 bpm, what assessments do you need to make?
Pain assessment
Full set of vitals
Take apical pulse
Ask patients about signs/symptoms
What factors impact a patients ability to oxygenate?
Blood loss
Anemia
COPD
Heart failure
Age
Difference between oxygenation and respiration
Oxygenation requires perfusion(passage of blood through blood vessels) and diffusion ( movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of lower concentration)
Respiration is controlled by carbon dioxide
If a patients respiratory rate is 8 what would you do?
Patient has bradypnea
Check their heart rate and ask if patient is taking medications or has any brain injury
Take a full set of vitals
Listen to heart and lungs
Ask them about any signs or symptoms
Describe now hypoventilation and hyperventilation are different from bradypnea and tachypnea?
Bradypnea and tachypnea refer to respiration vs. Hypoventilation and hyperventilation refer to rate and depth
What signs and symptoms you would expect to see in a patient with dyspnea
Difficult and labored breathing and they may also experience heart palpitations
What can affect a proper pulse ox reading?
Acrylic nails,Nail polish, medication, different health conditions, sex and age
Common errors when obtaining blood pressure? How do trey impact op?
Wrong size cuff: too small - reading will be high too big- reading will be too low
