X Foundations - Chp 4, Vital Signs Flashcards
How is heat produced in the body
- muscles, shivering
- metabolism (burn ATP)
When vessels DILATE
more blood to an area, more heat to an area
Excitement stimulates what gland?
Adrenal. Epinephrine squirted out to cause vasomotor changes
*** Body’s Thermostat controlled by
Hypothalamus (core body temp 98.6F/37C
*** Ways that heat is lost in body
1) Conduction (contact w cold surface)
2) Convection (layers of heat, clothing, hair etc)
3) Radiation (body heat radiates)
4) Evaporation (sweat, cooling process)
Axillary Temps
still used by least accurate. usually ~1* off
-in documentation, make sure to note HOW you took the temp
LABILE body temp
Baby’s up to 6 months have labile body temps that go up and down easily and quickly
Baby’s increased surface area to mass casuses
LABILE body temp
what method of temp taking is closest to core temp
Tympanic
Vegus Nerve
The vagus nerve supplies motor parasympathetic fibers to all the organs except the suprarenal (adrenal) glands, from the neck down to the second segment of the transverse colon. The vagus also controls a few skeletal muscles, notable ones being: Cricothyroid muscle, Levator veli palatini muscle Salpingopharyngeus muscle Palatoglossus muscle Palatopharyngeus muscle
Superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictors
Muscles of the larynx (speech).
This means that the vagus nerve is responsible for such varied tasks as heart rate, gastrointestinal peristalsis, sweating, and quite a few muscle movements in the mouth, including speech (via the recurrent laryngeal nerve). It also has some afferent fibers that innervate the inner (canal) portion of the outer ear (via the auricular branch, also known as Alderman’s nerve) and part of the meninges. This explains why a person may cough when tickled on the ear (such as when trying to remove ear wax with a cotton swab).
8 Pulse Sites
1) Temporal (not greatest, ensures blood going to head)
2) **Carotid (quickest, in emergency)
3) ** Radial (most common)
4) Brachial (mostly babies/toddlers)
5) Femoral (waist)
6) Popliteal (behind knee)
7) Tibialis Anterior (inner ankle)
8) Dorsalis Pedis (top of foot)
Factors that affect PULSE
1) Age (babies/rapid, adults/slower)
2) Sex (M/F because of body build)
3) Pain (will cause tachycardia)
4) Emotions (tachycardia)
*** Apical Pulse
- @ 5th intersticial space
- ** couple “s under left nipple
- mid clavicle
*** Pulse Deficit
- Difference between Apical and Radial pulse
- ** 2 nurses and the same time perform. coordinate count
- Apical can NEVER be less than Radial
Heart Rate affected by
- Drugs, Caffeine, EPI (checmials)
- Emotions
*** if doing a radial pulse and it feels irregular what should you do?
do an Apical pulse for 1 FUL MINUTE to ensure you detect any irregularities
Breathing controlled in what part of brain?
Medula Oblongata
What meds slow BREATHIMG rates?
Opiates
Coma
Severe brain damage
Subjective
Cant see it. I’m nauseous, It hurts, It itches
Objective
Can see it, measurable. Rash, Vomit, Blood
To make pain more objective, assign number ranking to it and obtain frequently to see pattern
more measurable
Vital Signs
- Body Temp
- Pulse
- Respiratory Rate
- Blood Pressure
- Pain (subjective) (5th Vital sign)
2 Body Temp Types
Shell: warmth of skin
Core: deep within body
Never take oral temp w/in 15-30 min of…
eating/drinking
Factors affecting Body Temp
- Food intake
- Climate (excercise/activity)
- Circadian rhythm (temp up/down during day)
- Emotions
- Illness/Injury
- Meds (Febrifuge; Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen)
Freezing
32*F
0*C
Boiling
212*F
100*C
Neuroleptic, Malignant Syndrom
severe fever. reaction to Haldol or other antiphychotic drugs. Anestesia can cause similar reactions
Danger zone for body temp (measured in F)
lower than 84F (28.8C), higher than 110F (43.3C)
Poikilothermic
body temp fluctuates depending on environmental temp (animals, snakes, lizards)
Homeothermic
structural/physiologic adaptations keep body temp stable (humans)
Body Temp Assessment sites
-Ear, Tympanic (closest to brain)
-Temporal Artery
-Sublingual
-Rectal (most accurate)(not on cardiac patients though)
-
Antipyretic
Reduce Fever,
Tylenol, Iburprofen
Temp Assessment probe colors
RED - Rectal
BLUE - Oral
Do no take ORAL temps on …
- the unconscious
- kids w colds
- trauma to face
- eating/drinking
- mouth breathing
How to position Infrared Tympanic Thermometer.
Adult: pinna up and back. device on face like phone
Child: tug earlobe down
Temp a Dots used for
Sublingual Temp
Isolation Rooms
Pulse Oximetry
device on fingertip measuring reading how red and oxygenated your blood is
Normal O level in blood
96 - 100*
Pyrexia
- Fever (exceeds 99.3*F)
- bring temp down slowly to avoid shivering causing muscles to increase heat again.
- increases metabollic demand, increasing glucose required, WBC require glucose
Hyperthermia
Inflammatory response. NOT FEVER. exceed 105.8*
sit in sauna too long, heat stroke etc
Cortizone
released during body during anti-inflammatory response