Vital Signs

Question 1

The four vital signs of body function are:

Answer 1

• Temperature
• Pulse
• Respirations
• Blood pressure

Question 2

The order of vital sign measurements for young children:

Answer 2

1. Respirations
2. Pulse
3. Blood pressure
4. Temperature

Question 3

Temperature sites include:

Answer 3

Mouth, rectum, axilla (underarm), tympanic membrane (ear), and temporal artery (forehead)

Question 4

axilla

Answer 4

underarm

Question 5

tympanic membrane

Answer 5

ear

Question 6

temporal artery

Answer 6

forehead

Question 7

The oral site is not used for

Answer 7

infants and children younger than 4 to 5 years old

Question 8

Pulse

Answer 8

The beat of the heart felt at an artery as a wave of blood passes through the artery.

Question 9

If the pulse is irregular…

Answer 9

count it for 1 minute

Question 10

apical pulse

Answer 10

Is taken on the left side of the chest slightly below the nipple.

Question 11

Pulse deficit

Answer 11

The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates.

Question 12

Taking an apical-radial pulse is done by

Answer 12

■Is taken with two staff
■One takes the radial pulse.
■The other takes the apical pulse.
■Doing this at the same time is called the apical-radial pulse.

Question 13

Pedal (dorsalis pedis) pulse

Answer 13

is used to check circulation in the foot.

Question 14

DUS

Answer 14

Doppler ultrasound stethoscope

Question 15

A Doppler ultrasound stethoscope (DUS) is used when…

Answer 15

the pedal pulse cannot be felt.

Question 16

The most common site for counting the pulse is the

Answer 16

Radial artery

Question 17

Respiration

Answer 17

Breathing air into (inhalation) and out of (exhalation) the lungs.

Question 18

How many respirations does an healthy adult have?

Answer 18

The healthy adult has 12 to 20 respirations/min

Question 19

Respirations are normally

Answer 19

quiet, effortless, and regular.

Question 20

How long should you count an Infant’s respirations for?

Answer 20

1 Full minute

Question 21

Blood pressure (BP)

Answer 21

The amount of force exerted against the walls of an artery by the blood.

Question 22

Systole

Answer 22

the period of heart muscle contraction.

Question 23

Diastole

Answer 23

the period of heart muscle relaxation.

Question 24

Systolic pressure

Answer 24

the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts

Question 25

Diastolic pressure

Answer 25

the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest

Question 26

Blood pressure is measured in…

Answer 26

millimeters (mm) of mercury (Hg)

Question 27

Hypertension

Answer 27

when the systolic blood pressure is 140 mm Hg or higher (hyper) or the diastolic blood pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher

Question 28

Hypotension

Answer 28

when systolic blood pressure is below (hypo) 90 mm Hg or the diastolic blood pressure is below 60 mm Hg

Question 29

A stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer are used to measure

Answer 29

blood pressure

Question 30

Reporting pain to the nurse:

Answer 30

○P -Provocation/ Palliation
○Q-Quality/ Quantity
○R-Region/ Radiation
○S-Severity/ Scale
○T-Timing