Vital signs Flashcards

1
Q

What changes vital signs

A

age, gender, weight, exercise, tolerance, condition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is my job as a nurse relating to vital signs

A

measure correctly, understand + interpret, communicate, interventions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

why is the baseline important

A

identifies changes and establishes trends

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is the frequency for stable pts?

A

Q4-8

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the frequency for post-surgical pts?

A

Q15

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is the frequency for critical pts?

A

Q5

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

when should VS be taken?

A

admission, physical assessment, routine monitoring, change in health status, before + after surgery, administration of meds, and interventions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

normal range for temperature

A

97.6-99.6 (98.6 average oral)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what is hyperthermia

A

104+

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

afebrile

A

no fever

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

febrile

A

100.4+

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is hypothermia

A

less than 95

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is an important note relating to temperatures

A

rectal temps> oral> axillary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What affects body temperature

A

age, exercise, stress, environment, smoking (only one that decreases temp)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the ways to measure temperature

A

oral, axillary, tympanic, temporal, rectal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what would you use to measure temp on critical care pts.

A

Foley catheter and esophageal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

when should temperature measurement occur

A

30 minutes after smoking or consuming food/beverages and 1 hour of exercise or bathing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what are the advantages of oral thermometers

A

accessible, comfortable, sublingual pocket

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

who cannot use an oral thermometer

A

infants + children, unconscious, post oral surgery, pts with seizure disorders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what are the advantages of rectal thermometers

A

most accurate, lubricate tip and no more than 1-1.5 inches in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

who cannot use rectal thermometers

A

newborns, spinal cord injury, diarrhea/rectal disease, quadriplegic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what are advantages of tympanic thermometers

A

easy access for all, confused or unconscious pts

23
Q

who cannot use tympanic thermometers

A

ear drainage and eardrum scarring

24
Q

who can use temporal temperature

A

children and adults not needing core body temp

25
Q

adUlt and chilD

A

adUlt: Up and back
chilD: Down and back

26
Q

who can use axillary thermometer

A

oral and rectal sites not available, healthy newborns

27
Q

which is the least accurate thermometer

A

axillary

28
Q

Which thermometer would you use for a pt who needs an accurate temperature

A

rectal

29
Q

Which thermometer would you use for a pt with dementia who cannot follow directions well

A

tympanic

30
Q

Which thermometer would you use for a pt coming in for an office visit

A

oral

31
Q

Which thermometer would you use for a child with an ear infection

A

axillary

32
Q

what is bradycardia and what causes it

A

less than 60 bpm, resting, heart block, age, athlete

33
Q

what is tachycardia and what causes it

A

over 100 bpm, hemorrhage, shock, fever, acute pain, drugs

34
Q

what is the central pulse

A

apical

35
Q

what are peripheral pulses

A

can be palpated over arteries located away from heart

36
Q

what affects pulse rate

A

age, exercise, stress, meds, hypovolemia

37
Q

when do you use the carotid pulse

A

in emergency situations

38
Q

what makes it difficult to palpate pulse rate

A

edema, obesity, poor circulation

39
Q

what does heart rate do over the lifespan

A

high, decrease, normal, decrease

40
Q

what happens to heart rate in older adults

A

increase risk for arrhythmia and heart disease and can’t be as fast during exercise

41
Q

what are respirations affected by

A

age, exercise, respiratory disease, meds, pain, exercise

42
Q

what is bradypnea and what causes it

A

less than 12, head trauma, meds (opioids and sedatives)

43
Q

what is tachypnea and what causes it

A

over 20, fever and illness

44
Q

what do you do when pt is SOB

A

elevate HOB, redo vitals, intervene if needed

45
Q

what do you assess for with respirations

A

rate, rhythm, and quality

46
Q

what happens to respirations across lifespan

A

high, decrease, normal, decrease

47
Q

what happens to respirations in old age

A

lung elasticity decrease and respiratory muscles weaken

48
Q

where do you not place BP cuff

A

same arm as pulse oximeter and extremity with limb alert

49
Q

what are the hypertension stages

A

stage 1: 130-139/80-89
stage 2: 140+/90
primary: no known cause
secondary: caused by known illness

50
Q

if the arm is too high what happens to BP

A

low BP

51
Q

If arm is too low what happens to BP

A

high BP

52
Q

what happens to BP over lifespan

A

low, increase, normal, increase

53
Q

why is BP high in older adults

A

arteries stiffen naturally, changes in blood vessel elasticity

54
Q

when can you delegate VS to UAP

A

pt is stable, they know proper technique, accurate