Vital signs Flashcards
What changes vital signs
age, gender, weight, exercise, tolerance, condition
What is my job as a nurse relating to vital signs
measure correctly, understand + interpret, communicate, interventions
why is the baseline important
identifies changes and establishes trends
what is the frequency for stable pts?
Q4-8
what is the frequency for post-surgical pts?
Q15
what is the frequency for critical pts?
Q5
when should VS be taken?
admission, physical assessment, routine monitoring, change in health status, before + after surgery, administration of meds, and interventions
normal range for temperature
97.6-99.6 (98.6 average oral)
what is hyperthermia
104+
afebrile
no fever
febrile
100.4+
what is hypothermia
less than 95
What is an important note relating to temperatures
rectal temps> oral> axillary
What affects body temperature
age, exercise, stress, environment, smoking (only one that decreases temp)
What are the ways to measure temperature
oral, axillary, tympanic, temporal, rectal
what would you use to measure temp on critical care pts.
Foley catheter and esophageal
when should temperature measurement occur
30 minutes after smoking or consuming food/beverages and 1 hour of exercise or bathing
what are the advantages of oral thermometers
accessible, comfortable, sublingual pocket
who cannot use an oral thermometer
infants + children, unconscious, post oral surgery, pts with seizure disorders
what are the advantages of rectal thermometers
most accurate, lubricate tip and no more than 1-1.5 inches in
who cannot use rectal thermometers
newborns, spinal cord injury, diarrhea/rectal disease, quadriplegic