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Patient Care > Vital Signs > Flashcards

Vital Signs Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 vital signs?

A
  • Temperature
  • Respiration
  • Pulse
  • Blood Pressure
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2
Q

What are vital signs also referred to as?

A

Cardinal Signs

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3
Q

What do changes in a patient’s vital signs indicate?

A

Indicate a problem or potential problem that may become life threatening

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4
Q

When are a patient’s vital signs taken in the radiology department?

A
  • When a patient undergoes an invasive procedure
  • Before and after the patient receives medication
  • Anytime the patient’s condition changes suddenly
  • If the patient reports nonspecific symptoms of distress (not feeling well or feeling different)
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5
Q

What is temperature?

A

The measurement of the degree of heat on the deep tissues of the body

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6
Q

What is thermoregulation?

A

Term which describes the body’s heat production and heat loss

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7
Q

What does the hypothalamus do in terms of temperature?

A

Regulates body temp

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8
Q

What are the two things the hypothalamus does to preserve heat and regulate heat loss?

A

Shivering and sweating

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9
Q

What are the sites of temperature measurement?

A
  • Oral
  • Axillary
  • Tympanic
  • Temporal
  • Infrared
  • Rectal
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10
Q

What is a normal adult oral temperature range?

A

97.7-99.5 degrees F (36.5-37.5 C)

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11
Q

What is the average oral temperature?

A

98.6 +/- 1-2 degrees

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12
Q

How do axillary temperatures compare to oral temps?

A

They are slightly lower

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13
Q

How do rectal temperatures compare to oral temps?

A

Slightly higher

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14
Q

Which of the temperature reading sites are most accurate?

A

Rectal temperatures

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15
Q

What recommendations should be followed when taking temperature?

A
  • Wait at least an hour after vigorous exercise or a bath
  • Wait 20-30 minutes after smoking, eating or drinking hot/cold liquids
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16
Q

When does a patient have a fever?

A

If the reading of the thermometer is more than 1-1.5 degrees the normal temp

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17
Q

What are symptoms of a fever?

A
  • Increased pulse
  • Increased respiration
  • General body discomfort and aching
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18
Q

What is pyrexia?

A

A fever or febrile condition

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19
Q

What is hyperthermia?

A

A high temperature with an oral reading over 99.5 F

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20
Q

What are signs of hyperthermia?

A

Dizziness, confusion and coma

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21
Q

What is hypothermia?

A

Low temperature with an oral reading below 97.7 F

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22
Q

What are signs of hypothermia?

A

Shivering, respiration difficulties

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23
Q

What does a fever produce changes in?

A

Metabolic rate

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24
Q

What is a metabolic rate?

A

The rate of utilization of energy

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25
Q

When is a metabolic rate usually measured?

A

When the patient is completely at rest and in a fasting state

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26
Q

How are body temp and metabolic rate related?

A

Increased body temp = increased metabolic rate

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27
Q

What does an increased metabolic rate produce?

A

More oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production at the cellular level

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28
Q

What does a higher metabolic rate put a strain on?

A

The cardiopulmonary system

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29
Q

What is diaphoresis?

A

Profuse sweating as a means of regulating body temperature

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30
Q

How are temperature vital signs recorded?

A

Temperature Amount followed by site
- 99.6 R
- 98.6 O
- 97.6 AX
- 97.6 T

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31
Q

What is the normal respiration rate of adults?

A

12-20 breaths per minute

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32
Q

What is the normal respiration rate of children under 10?

A

20-30 breaths per minute

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33
Q

What is the normal respiration rate of newborns?

A

30-60 breaths per minute

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34
Q

How do you obtain an accurate measurement of respiration?

A

Count the number of respirations for a full minute

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35
Q

What state should the patient be in when measuring respiration?

A

At rest

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36
Q

What else should be measured as a part of respiration?

A

The depth or respiration, shallow or deep and the pattern of respiration, regular or irregular

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37
Q

What does respiration provide to the body?

A

Supplies oxygen to the blood and eliminates carbon dioxide

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38
Q

How is the rate of respiration is taken by?

A

Observing the movement of the abdomen and the chest

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39
Q

What procedures should be used for assessing the respiration of the patient?

A
  • Best that the patient is unaware that the respiration rate is being taken
  • Count and observe the movement of the chest or abdomen
  • Place a hand on the patient’s chest or abdomen is observation is difficult
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40
Q

What is Tachypnea?

A

Excessive rate of respiration (greater than 20 in adults)

41
Q

What is Bradypnea?

A

Decrease in respiratory rate

42
Q

What is Dyspnea?

A

Difficult or labored breathing resulting in insufficient airflow

43
Q

What is apnea?

A

Cessation of breathing

44
Q

What is orthopnea?

A

Shortness of breath that occurs while lying flat and is relieved when sitting or standing

45
Q

What is cyanosis?

A

A bluish discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of oxygen

46
Q

What is cyanosis a sign of?

A

Respiratory distress

47
Q

What is hypoxia?

A

Reduction in the amount of oxygen in the tissue

48
Q

What is ventilation?

A

The mechanical movement of air in and out of the lungs

49
Q

How are respiration vital signs recorded?

A

R 20

50
Q

What does pulse rate assess?

A

Cardiovascular function

51
Q

How is pulse rate recorded?

A

The number of heart beats per minute

52
Q

How long should a patient be resting to obtain resting heart rate?

A

10 minutes

53
Q

What is the normal pulse rate for adults?

A

60-100 bpm

54
Q

What is the normal pulse rate for children under 10?

A

70-120 bpm

55
Q

What are common sites of measurement of pulse?

A

At areas where the artery passes close to the skin
- Radial artery
- Brachial artery
- Carotid artery

56
Q

Where is the radial artery?

A

Over the radial artery at the base of the thumb

57
Q

Where is the brachial artery?

A

In the groove between the biceps and triceps above the elbow

58
Q

Where is the carotid artery?

A

Over the carotid artery at the front of the neck

59
Q

Where are uncommon sites of pulse measurements?

A
  • Femoral artery
  • Apical artery
  • Popliteal artery
  • Dorsal pedis artery
  • Posterior tibia artery
60
Q

Where is the femoral artery?

A

In the groin

61
Q

Where is the apical artery?

A

Over the apex of the heart

62
Q

Where is the popliteal artery?

A

Behind the knee

63
Q

Where is the dorsalis pedis artery?

A

On the top of the foot

64
Q

Where is the posterior tibia artery?

A

on the lateral side of the foot

65
Q

What is the procedure for taking a patient’s pulse?

A

Count the number of pulses for 15 seconds and multiply by 4

66
Q

How long should pulse be measured to be more accurate?

A

To monitor for a full minute

67
Q

In critical care settings which patient measurements continuously monitored?

A
  • arterial blood saturation (SAO2)
  • respiratory rate
  • pulse rate
68
Q

What devices measure pulse continuously?

A
  • Electrocardiogram
  • Arterial lines
  • Pulse oximeter
69
Q

What is an electrocardiogram?

A

An electrical recording of the heart and used in the investigation of heart disease

70
Q

What are arterial lines?

A

An analysis of arterial blood gas (ABG)

71
Q

What do blood gases measure?

A

The pH, oxygen content and carbon dioxide content of the blood

72
Q

How are blood gas tests performed?

A

A small sample of blood is collected from the radial artery in the wrist, femoral artery in the groin or brachial artery in the arm

73
Q

What is a pulse oximeter?

A

A photoelectric device that measures the O2 blood saturation of the blood

74
Q

What are normal pulse oximeter values for a healthy person?

A

Between 95-100%

75
Q

Where is a pulse oximeter placed for infants?

A

On the big toe or attached to the earlobe, temple, nose or foot

76
Q

How does a pulse oximeter work?

A

Converts light intensity into oxygen saturation and pulse rate value

77
Q

What is tachychardia?

A

Rapid heart rate with resting pulse above 100 bpm

78
Q

What is bradychardia?

A

Decrease heart rate with resting pulse below 60 bpm

79
Q

How do you record vital signs?

A

P 80

80
Q

What is blood pressure the measure of?

A

The measurement of the amount of pressure exerted against the walls of the vessels

81
Q

What is blood pressure?

A

The force applied against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body

82
Q

How is a blood pressure determined?

A

By the force and amount of blood pumped and the size/flexibility of the arteries

83
Q

What tool is used to measure BP?

A

Using an instrument called a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff)

84
Q

How is BP measured?

A
  • The BP cuff is wrapped around your arm and inflated to stop blood flow in the artery
  • As the cuff is slowly deflated, a stethoscope is used to hear the blood pumping through the artery
  • The first pump heard is the systolic pressure and the last sound is the diastolic pressure
85
Q

What is a normal BP in adult patients?

A

Systolic: 95-140 mm Hg
Diastolic: 60-90 mm Hg

86
Q

What causes BP to continuously change?

A

Activity, temperature, diet, emotional state, posture, physical state and medication use

87
Q

What is systolic pressure?

A

The highest pressure taken when the left ventricle of the heart contracts

88
Q

What is diastolic pressure?

A

The lowest pressure when the ventricles of the heart relax

89
Q

What is hypertension?

A

High blood pressure of BP over 140/90

90
Q

What is hypertension characterized by?

A

Chronically high bp

91
Q

How is hypertension monitored/treated?

A

By medication, lifestyle changes or a combo of both

92
Q

What is hypertension often referred to as?

A

The silent killer

93
Q

What is hypotension?

A

Low bP when pressure is less than 95/60 mm Hg

94
Q

What is the main issue of hypotension?

A

Inadequate blood flow to the heart, brain and other vital organs

95
Q

What is Atelectasis?

A

Absence of gas from part of all of the lungs as a result of failure of expansion or reabsorption of gas from the alveoli

96
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

Constancy in the internal environment of the body that is maintained by adaptive responses

97
Q

What is intubation?

A

Insertion of a tubular device into a canal, hollow organ or cavity

98
Q

What is pleural effusion?

A

Increased amount of fluid within the pleural cavity

99
Q

What is a pneumothorax?

A

Presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity

Patient Care (9 decks)

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