Vital Signs Flashcards

1
Q

What do we measure vital signs?

A
  • provide info about effectiveness of circulatory, respiratory, neural and endocrine body functions
  • monitor condition, identify problems and evaluate responses
  • evaluated in terms of norms and client’s baseline; trends
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2
Q

When are vital signs indicated?

A
  • medical order
  • before/after surgery or procedure
  • before/after medication administration
  • before/after nursing intervention
  • non-specific symptoms present
  • change in condition of client
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3
Q

What affects temperature?

A
  • age
  • stress
  • hormone levels
  • environment
  • circadian rhythm
  • exercise
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4
Q

Dysrhythmia

A

interval interrupted by an early or late beat, or a missed beat
(regularly irregular)

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5
Q

Arrhythmia

A

irregularly irregular heartbeat or cardiac dysrhythmia

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6
Q

Sinus arrhythmia

A

variation with respiratory cycle

- increased HR when inhaling, decreased HR when exhaling

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7
Q

Bradycardia

A

slow heart rate less than 60 bpm

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8
Q

Tachycardia

A

abnormally fast heart rate of more than 100 bpm

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9
Q

Pulse deficit

A

difference between radial and apical HR

- indicates inefficient blood flow

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10
Q

Pulse Assessment includes..

A
  1. Rhythm
  2. Rate
  3. Strength/force
  4. Equality for radial pulse
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11
Q

Gas exchange between atmosphere and blood

A

Ventilation

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12
Q

Gas exchange between blood and cells

A

Diffusion

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13
Q

Factors that affect respiration

A
  • exercise
  • anxiety/stress
  • medications
  • acute pain
  • smoking
  • neurological injury
  • hemoglobin function
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14
Q

Respiration Assessment includes..

A
  1. Rate
  2. Depth (deep, normal, shallow)
  3. Rhythm (regular or irregular)
  4. Sound (effortful, normal)
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15
Q

Bradypnea

A

less than 12 breaths per minute

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16
Q

Tachypnea

A

more than 20 breaths per minute

17
Q

Hyperpnea

A

laboured, increased depth and rate

18
Q

Apnea

A

pauses in breathing

19
Q

Dyspnea

A

Difficulty breathing or breathlessness

20
Q

What physiological factors effects blood pressure?

A
  1. cardiac output
  2. peripheral vascular resistance
  3. volume of circulating blood
  4. viscosity/thickness of blood
  5. elasticity of vessel walls
21
Q

What is considered hypotension?

A

<90 / ___

22
Q

What is considered hypertension?

A

> 140 / 90

23
Q

Three ways to measure blood pressure

A
  1. Arterial lines (invasive)
  2. Automatic BP devices
  3. Auscultation with stethoscope and sphygmomanometer
24
Q

Auscultatory Gap

A

period when sounds disappear during auscultation of BP – not inflating cuff enough
- can cause underestimation of systolic BP or overestimation of diastolic BP

25
Q

pulse site: over temporal bone of head, above and lateral to eye

A

temporal

26
Q

pulse site: along medial edge of sternocleiodmastoid muscle

A

carotid

27
Q

Which pulse site should be used in emergencies?

A

carotid

28
Q

pulse site: fourth or fifth intercostal space at left midclavicular line

A

apical

29
Q

pulse site: groove between biceps and triceps muscles at antecubital fossa

A

brachial

30
Q

pulse site: thumb side of forearm at wrist

A

radial

31
Q

pulse site: pinky side of forearm at wrist

A

ulnar

32
Q

pulse site: below inguinal ligament, midway between symphysis pubis and anterir superior iliac spine

A

femoral

33
Q

pulse site: behind knee

A

popliteal

34
Q

pulse site: inner side of ankle

A

posterior tibial

35
Q

pulse site: along top of foot

A

dorsalis pedis