Vital Signs and Monitoring Devices Flashcards
Vital Signs
outward signs of what is going on inside the body, including respiration, pulse skin color, temperature, and condition (plus capillary refill in infants and children), pupils and blood pressure
Tachycardia
a rapid pulse; any pulse rate above 100 beats per minute
Bradycardia
a slow pulse; any pulse rate below 60 beats per minute
Radial pulse
pulse felt at the wrist
Brachial pulse
pulse felt in the upper arm
Carotid pulse
pulse felt along the large carotid artery on either side of the neck
dilate
get larger
Constrict
get smaller
Systolic pressure
pressure created when the heart contracts and forces blood out into the arteries
Diastolic pressure
pressure remaining in the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is relaxed and refilling
sphygmomanometer
the cuff and gauge used to measure blood pressure
Auscultation
listening. a stethoscope is used to auscultate for characteristic sounds
Palpation
touching or feeling. a pulse or blood pressure may be palated with the fingertips
Pulse oximeter
an electronic device for determining amound of oxygen carried int eh blood known as the oxygen saturation or SpO2
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2)
the ratio of the amount of oxygen present in the blood to the amount that could be carried expressed as a percentage
typically 96 to 100% is normal
91 to 95% indicates mild hypoxia
86 to 90% indicates significant or moderate hypoxia