Vital Signs Flashcards
What vital signs do you typically check for in an individual?
- Blood pressure
- Pulse
- Respirations
- Temperature
- Level of consciousness
- Pupil status
- Breath sounds
CRATE - my mnemonic
- C for cardiovascular system check = blood pressure and pulse
- R for respiratory system check = Respirations and breath sounds
- A for awakeness; level of consciousness
- T for temperature
- E for Eyes; pupil status
What is the difference between signs and symptoms?
- Signs are observed and measured by you
- Symptoms are told to you by the patient
What do you do when you are vital sign checking for respirations?
- Count the number of breaths per minute
- Assess the Quality of those breaths: regular or irregular?
- Rhythm: check frequency of breaths.
- Effort is there grunting gasping, tripod position, nasal flaring,etc..? (regular should be effortless)
- Noise: any noise is irregular such as coughing up stuff. (regular should be quiet)
- Assess tidal volume
- Is it increased? patient is taking high volumes of air, more than usual.
- Is it normal? (adequate)
- Is it decreased? swallow breathing.
Example: 16 respirations/min ATV, Regular (ATV = adequate tidal volume)
What are the normal respiration values for adults, children, and infants? Stare at chest for females when assessing and abdominal for males.
- Most Adults (includes adolescents 12-18 yrs, early adults 19-40 yrs, middle adults 41-60 yrs) NOTE!! Late adults 61-Older yrs depends on health.
- 12-20 breaths/min (general)
- Children (Note in book there are specifics… 6-12 yrs 15-20 breaths/min, 3-6 yrs 20-25 breaths/min, 1-3 yrs 20-30 breaths/min)
- 18-30 breaths/min (general)
- Infants (Note in book there are specifics… Neonates 0-1 month have 30-60 breaths/min, infants 1 month - 1 yr have 25-30 breaths/min)
- 30-60 breaths/min (general)
For the following conditions…
- What is not breathing classifed as? (Not breathing)
- What is slow breathing classified as? (Slow breathing)
- What is fast breathing classifed as? (Fast breathing)
- What is poor (decreased) tidal volume classifed as? (Poor tidal volume)
- What is deep (increased) tidal volume classifed as? (Incre. tidal volume)
- Apnea
- Bradypnea
- Tachypena
- Hypoventilation
- Hyperventilation
How do you take and record the pulse as a vital sign?
-
Rate first, (at any pulse point)
- Note the number of beats in one minute or take for 30 seconds and multiply it by 2.
-
Strength second (classify the stength of the pulse)
- Bounding (stronger than normal), strong (normal), or weak (thready).
-
Regularity third
- Regular or irregular (does it skip a beat, not in rhythm, etc…)
Example: 80 bpm, strong, regular
Go over all the pulse points with a partner.
- Femoral
- Apical (check when you enter and leave world)
- Carotid
- Radial
- Brachial
- Temporal
- Dorsalis Pedis (front of foot)
- Popliteal (behind knee)
- Posterior Tibialis (below bump on ankel)
What are the normal pulse values for an adult, child, toddler, and newborn?
- Adult: 60-100
- Child: 70-120
- Toddler: 90-150
- Newborn: 120-160
What is the term for slow and fast pulse? What values indicate a heart or slow pulse?
-
Bradycardia: slow heart
- under 60 (adult) -
Tachycardia: fast pulse
- 100 or more (adult)
What is blood pressure? What does a drop in BP indicate? What age should the patient be to check blood pressure?
- It is the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the arteries
- a. loss of blood
b. loss of vascular tone
c. cardiac pumping problem - Three and up
Which measurement pressures the heart during contraction and relaxation? What is BP measured in?
- a. Systolic: ventricular contraction
b. diastolic: ventricular relaxation - Measured in mmHG, millimeters of mercury
What are the differences between auscultation and palpation readings?
- Auscultation: obtains diastolic and systolic
- Palpation: only systolic reading obtained
What are the normal ranges of blood pressure?
-
Adults:
a. systolic= 100 - 140 mmHG
b. diastolic= 60 - 90 mmHG -
Children:
systolic= 80 to 110 mmHG -
Infants:
systolic= 60 mmHG
What is the term for high or low blood pressure?
- Hypertension: high blood pressure
- Hypotension: _low blood pressure _
What are the systolic values for the carotid, femoral, or radial arteries?
- Carotid: at least 60 systolic
- Femoral: at least 70 systolic
- Radial: at least 80 systolic
