Vital Signs

Question 1

Auscultation

Answer 1

The action of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope, as a part of health assessment.

Question 2

Bell

Answer 2

A hollow cup, concave in shape, on one side of the chestpiece of a stethoscope; used to hear soft, low-pitched sounds including extra heart or vascular sounds (bruit). Press the bell very lightly on the patient, just enough pressure to ensure contact with the skin and a complete seal around the edge, and the vibrations of the skin produce acoustic pressure waves traveling up to the listener’s ears.

Question 3

Diaphragm

Answer 3

The flat surface of a stethoscope with a rubber or plastic ring on the edge; used to hear high-pitched sounds including breath, bowel, and normal heart sounds; it screens out low-pitched sounds. To use, hold firmly between second and third fingers.

Question 4

Diastolic blood pressure

Answer 4

Diastolic pressure is the pressure of the blood in the arteries when the heart is filling. It is the lower of two blood pressure measurements; for example, if the blood pressure is 120/80, then 80 is the diastolic pressure.

Question 5

Diurnal variations

Answer 5

Occurring in the daytime; a patient may have a diurnal fever rather than a nocturnal one. Diurnal also refers to something that recurs every day.

Question 6

Dorsal recumbant

Answer 6

The position of a patient on the back, with lower limbs flexed and rotated outward; used in vaginal examination, application of obstetrical forceps, and other procedures. Also, a knee-elbow position with the patient resting on the knees and elbows with the chest elevated.

Question 7

Dull

Answer 7

Not sharp or acute, in any sense.

Question 8

Fetal position

Answer 8

Position (as of a sleeping person) in which the body lies curled up on one side with the arms and legs drawn up and the head bowed forward.

Question 9

Flat

Answer 9

A severe reduction in emotional expressiveness. People with depression and schizophrenia often show flat affect.

Question 10

Hand hygiene

Answer 10

A way of cleaning one’s hands that substantially reduces potential pathogens (harmful microorganisms) on the hands. Hand hygiene is considered a primary measure for reducing the risk of transmitting infection among patients and health care personnel.

Question 11

Hyperressonant

Answer 11

An exaggerated chest resonance heard in various abnormal pulmonary conditions.

Question 12

Infection control

Answer 12

A scientific approach and practical solution designed to prevent harm caused by infection to patients and health workers.

Question 13

Inspection

Answer 13

A visual examination of the patient, including body movement, posture and smell; palpation is done by placing your fingers on the body to determine things like swelling, masses, and areas of pain.

Question 14

Korotkoff sounds

Answer 14

Korotkoff sounds are blood flow sounds that healthcare providers observe while taking blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer over the brachial artery in the antecubital fossa. These sounds appear and disappear as the blood pressure cuff is inflated and deflated.

Question 15

Lateral recumbent

Answer 15

A position to facilitate a vaginal examination, with the patient lying on her side with the lower arm behind the back, the thighs flexed, the upper one more than the lower.

Question 16

Manual blood pressure measurement

Answer 16

The process of a healthcare provider using a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff with a sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure manually; the stethoscope is used to listen to the blood pressure sounds.

Question 17

Orthostatic hypotension

Answer 17

A decrease in systolic blood pressure of 20 mm Hg or a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg within three minutes of standing when compared with blood pressure from the sitting or supine position.

Question 18

Oscillometric blood pressure

Answer 18

The process of using a cuff placed on the patient’s arm and the cuff bladder inflated with air until the external pressure exceeds the intra-arterial systolic pressure and arterial flow past the cuff ceases. The cuff bladder pressure is then slowly released.

Question 19

Oxygen saturation

Answer 19

The fraction of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin relative to total hemoglobin (unsaturated + saturated) in the blood.

Question 20

Palpation

Answer 20

An examination of something, usually an organ or part of the body, by touching it with the fingers or hands.

Question 21

Percussion

Answer 21

A method of tapping body parts with fingers, hands, or small instruments as part of a physical examination done to determine the size, consistency, and borders of body organs and/or the presence or absence of fluid in body areas.

Question 22

Physiologic

Answer 22

Normal, as opposed to pathologic; denoting the various vital processes; denoting something that is apparent from its functional effects rather than from its anatomic structure (for example, a physiologic sphincter).

Question 23

Prone

Answer 23

A position of the body lying face down; opposite to the supine position which is face up. Using the terms defined in the anatomical position, the ventral side is down, and the dorsal side is up.

Question 24

Pulse pressure

Answer 24

The difference between the systolic blood pressure, which is the top number of blood pressure reading, and diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number; an indicator of how well the heart is working.

Question 25

Rate

Answer 25

Measuring the number of heart beats in a minute; usually known as BPM, or beats per minute; the heart rate can be taken at any large artery in the body, although it is usually taken at the radial artery in the wrist.

Question 26

Resonant

Answer 26

A quality imparted to voiced sounds by vibration in anatomical resonating chambers or cavities (as the mouth or the nasal cavity); the sound elicited on percussion of the chest.

Question 27

Rhythm

Answer 27

A measured time or movement; regularity of occurrence of action or function; in electroencephalography, the regular occurrence of an impulse.

Question 28

Sims

Answer 28

A position where the patient is lying on the left side, with left leg straight. Right knee and hip are bent.

Question 29

Stethoscope

Answer 29

A binaural instrument used to hear and amplify the sounds produced by the heart, lungs, and other internal organs, containing two earpieces and flexible tubing leading to them from the two-branched opening of the bell or cone.

Question 30

Supine

Answer 30

A position where the patient is lying straight on the back so that the front position of the body and the face are upwards; the dorsal side of the body faces downwards, the ventral is side facing up.

Question 31

Systolic blood pressure

Answer 31

The blood pressure that is exerted when the heart beats and forces blood around the body, as opposed to diastolic pressure, which is the measure of blood pressure when the heart is resting between beats.

Question 32

Tripod position

Answer 32

A position adopted by a patient with extreme respiratory distress, who sits upright and leans forward, resting his or her hands on the knees.

Question 33

Tympany

Answer 33

A hollow drum-like sound that is produced when a gas-containing cavity is tapped sharply.