Vital Signs Ch. 10 Flashcards
What are the 4 objective vital signs?
Temperature
Pulse
Respiratory Rate
Blood Pressure
What factors can influence temperature?
Diurnal cycle
menstruation
exercise
age
What is the normal oral temperature range of a resting adult?
37 degrees C
98.6 degrees F
What should you do if your patient says they have eaten/drank something within the last 15 minutes?
Proceed with other vitals and then take the temperature after 15 minutes
When is the temperature tympanic membrane taken?
unconscious patients or those unable/unwilling to cooperate with traditional techniques
What is TAT?
Temporal Artery Thermometer
very accurate since the temporal artery doesn’t vasoconstrict or dilate
What should you always do when taking a temperature during a health assessment lab exam?
Report temperature in degrees C or F
Report the temperature and the route (oral)
What is Stroke Volume?
Amount of blood every heart beat pumps into aorta
What should you do if the radial pulse is irregular?
Count pulse for a full minute
What is the normal bpm range for a resting adult?
60-100 bpm
Define bradycardia and tachycardia
Bradycardia: below 60bpm (athletes/sleep)
Tachycardia: above 100bpm (stress/exercise)
What is Sinus Dysrhythmia?
Irregularity in the heart beat
What is the force of pulse and how is it measured/reported?
Strength of a heart’s stroke volume
3+= full, bounding, easy to feel
2+= normal
1+= weak, thready, hard to feel
0= absent
What is the fairly consistent pulse rate/respiration to ratio?
4:1
What is BP?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the side of its container, vessel well
When is low/high BP bad?
If it is symptomatic
What should the width and length of the BP cuff’s bladder be in relation to their arm?
Width= 40% of arm circumference
Length: 80%
When are Orthostatic/Postural Vital signs taken?
When volume depletion is suspected, patient is taking antihypertensive medication, reports fainting/syncope
When BP measured at arm is excessively high, it should be compared to ___
BP measured at the thigh
How does the pulse oximeter measure O2?
Measures the % of O2 on each Hb
What is the range of an SpO2 in a healthy adult?
97%-98%
When is a doppler used?
To measure a difficult-to-find pulse
Explain abnormal findings in the objective vital signs
Hypothermia/Hyperthermia
Bradycardia/Tachycardia
Bradypnea/Tachypnea
Hypotension/Hypertension
