Vital Signs Flashcards
What is the definition of Vital Signs?
Provide info about the basic body conditions of the pt
Six things that Vital signs tell you?
Temperature Pulse Respiration Blood Pressure Pain SpO2
What is Temperature defined as?
The balance between heat lost and heat produced by the body
The normal temperature range for Adult, Child and, Infant pt?
97-100 degrees fahrenheit
The average temperature is?
98.6
Where can you measure Temperature?
Oral-3-5 minutes-Sublingual Rectal-3-5 minutes-Most Acc.-For infants Axillary-Armpit-10 minutes Tympanic- Ear Temporal-Goes across forehead
What is Hypothermia?
Temp (<) less than 95 degrees rectally
- administer warm IV fluids or place pt on warm blankets
- Death means below 93
What does Afebrile mean?
No Fever
What does Febrile mean?
Having a Fever
What temp. is defined?
101 rectally
What temp. is defined as Hyperthermia?
Temperature of (>) greater than 104 rectally
- caused by prolonged exposure to heat, brain damage and serve infection
- Temps greater than (>) 106 can lead to seizure and death
- Treat w/ cooling equipment
What type of Thermometer has a BLUE CAP?
Blue long slender tip- Oral
What type of Thermometer has a RED CAP?
Red short rounder tip- Rectal
Know 3 reasons for taking an Apical Pulse
- Ordered by a MD
- Pts w/ irregular heartbeats, hardening of arteries
- Infant and children because they have rapid radial pluses
Normal Respiration Rates for Adults?
14-18 per minutes
Normal Respiration Rates for children?
16-25 per minutes
Normal Respiration rates for infants?
30-50 per minutes
What is a considered normal respiration rates?
12-20 per mintues
Pulse can be felt where?
TEMPORAL-Side of forehead CAROTID-neck BRACHIAL-forearm- at crease of elbow RADIAL-wrist(MOST COMMON) FEMORAL-inner upper thight POPLITED-Behind the knee DORASALIS PEDIS- top of foot arch
Normal Pulse Rates for Adults?
60-100 beats per minutes
What does Bradycardia?
Pulse rate less than (<) 60
What does Trachycardia?
Pulse rate greater than (>) 100
What does Arrhythmia?
irregular or abnormal rhythm caused by a defect in the electrical conduction system, of the heart
what MUST you report and record?
- Rate- beats in the minute
- Rhythm- spacing- of the beats- regular or irregular
- Volume-Strength or intensity of the pulse like strong, weak, thready, bounding
What does DYSPENEA mean?
Difficulty breathing
What does APNEA mean?
Absence of breathing
What does TACHYPNEA mean?
Rate greater than (>) 25
What does ORTHOPNEA mean?
Severe dyspnea where breathing is difficult unless pt is difficult or sitting erect
What does CHEYHO-STOKES mean?
Periods of dyspnea followed by periods of apena- dying
What does RALES mean?
bubbling or noisy sounds caused by fluids or mucus in air passages
Two types of Blood Pressure?
- Systolic Pressure- Occurs in the walls of the arteries when the heart is contracting. Top#
- Diastolic pressure- Constant pressure in walls of arteries when the heart is at rest.
- Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg
Pain Assessment?
WILDA w-words i-intensity l-location d-duration a-aggravating and alleviating factors
