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Measuring Vital Signs

Subjects : health-sciences, emergency-medicine

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Substances tat cause fever
Kussmaul's respiration
pyrogens
Brachial
raises BP.

2. Full and bounding (even beats wit strong force)
silence as cuff deflates for 30 to 40 mm Hg; common with hypertension and elderly patients
140-159/90-99
permanent damage to the heart - the brain - the kidneys - and the retina of the eye - may cause strokes
+3

3. How does size affect pulse?
Tall - slender people mayy ave a slower pulse rate than short - stout persons
Korotkoff sounds Phase II Swishing
Convection
Brachial

4. Subnormal body temperature the regulating center in the hypothalamus is greatly impaired when the temperature of the body falls below 94 degrees - at that point? sleepiness and coma are apt to develop.
Temporal
Hypothermia
variation of about 5-10 between arms. and a 10-40 difference in systolic pressure with leg & arm.
left Sims position

5. A high temperature falls - usually in the morning - and again rises later in the day. The temperature never fails to normal in this type of fever until recovery occurs.
Biot's respirations
Irregular
Biot's
remittent

6. What happens when vasodilation occurs?
hypertension
Vascular resistance drops and the blood pressure decreases
Cheyenne-Stokes
16-20

7. How do drugs affect pulse?
Stimulants increase the pulse rate. Depressants decrease the pulse rate.
Cheyenne-Stokes
when it is difficult to find or to count the radial pulse - or for patients with heart conditions for one full minute by placing stethoscope on the heart to count for a full minute.
Stertor

8. Taking axillary temperature
+3
place the thermometer in the center of the patients dry axilla. Ask patient to hold the arm tightly against the chest. Leave in place 3-8 minutes.
Brachial
Conduction

9. When the vascular walls lose elasticity - as with arteriosclerosis and aging what happens to BP?
It doesn't change in a healthy elderly patient but the pattern rhythm may be slightly irregular.
It increases to push the blood through more rigid pathways.
Increases as body tries to remove excess heat
Evaporation

10. The temperature of the deep tissues of the body
Stertor
Apical
It increases to push the blood through more rigid pathways.
Core Temperature

11. Taking a rectal temperature
Blood pressure increases because there is more volume of blood in the vascular system.
Wash hands - don gloves - lubricate probe - Insert .5 to 1.5 inches. Hold in place for 3 to 5 minutes.
variation of about 5-10 between arms. and a 10-40 difference in systolic pressure with leg & arm.
97.5 to 99.5

12. Irregular pulse - a period of normal rhythm broken by periods of irregularity or skipped beats.
about 1 degree lower than oral temperatures
bradycardia
arrhythmia
Pedal pulse

13. An example of a nursing diagnoses
systolic pressure indicated by faint - clear sound that gradually grow louder.
restlessness & apprehension - confusion - dizziness - and change in level of consciousness - cyanosis or skin color changes - particularly around the mouth and in the nail beds
Hyperthermia related to infection or excessive heat exposure
the lungs

14. The pulse rate multiplied by the stroke volume. This is the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle in 1 minute. Averaging at about 5mL per minute.
higher
Cardiac Output
Feeble
140-159/90-99

15. Sex BP?
bradycardia
140-159/90-99
tachycardia
males have higher bp - until menopause then they are the same

16. Enviromental temperature BP?
Stertor
16-20
intermittent
if its hot bp can lower because of vasodilation. if its cold it can rise because of vasoconstriction.

17. BP at or lower 90/60.
hypotension
It uses large muscles in the body - which create body heat by burning up the glucose and fat in the tissues - muscle action generates heat and core temperature rises.
72 bpm
Feeble

18. A pattern of breathing in which there is an increase in the rate and the depth of breaths and carbon dioxide is expelled - causing te blood level of carbon dioxide to fall. this condition is seen after sever exertion - during high levels of anxiety o
apnea
by placing the flat part of the first fingers against the tendon - or cord - on the thumb inside of the inner wrist and ten rolling the fingers slightly outward into the little trough on the thumb inside the wrist.
It doesn't change in a healthy elderly patient but the pattern rhythm may be slightly irregular.
Hyperventilation

19. How does the time of day (circadian rhythm) affect the body's temperature?

20. Side of neck
Pons and Medulla of the brainstem
carotid
in the alveoli - tiny thin-walled sacs
Posterior tibial

21. Signs and symptoms of shock
+1
decrease BP - increase pulse rate - cold and clammy skin - dizziness - blurred vision - and apprehension.
Diastolic pressure
about 1 degree higher than oral temperatures

22. respirations become faster and deeper - then slower and shallower wit a period of apnea - called the death rattle.
Cheyenne-Stokes
raises BP.
uncooperative patient - children - combative patients - dementia
Pulse pressure

23. How is shock caused?
hemorrhage - vomiting - diarrhea - burns - and myocardial infarctions.
Pulse
Dorsalis pedis
Stimulants increase the pulse rate. Depressants decrease the pulse rate.

24. Stage 1 hypertension
140-159/90-99
restlessness & apprehension - confusion - dizziness - and change in level of consciousness - cyanosis or skin color changes - particularly around the mouth and in the nail beds
from drug therapy - a neurologic problem or dehydration.
Korotkoff sounds Phase IV: Muffling

25. How do emotions increase the pulse rate?
low BP
hypotension
Conduction
Acute anxiety stimulate the nervous system - raising the pulse.

26. Barely palpable
systolic pressure indicated by faint - clear sound that gradually grow louder.
Feeble
Pulse pressure
Korotkoff sounds

27. Newborn
Korotkoff sounds Phase III: Knocking
30-80
Defervescence - lowering of the body temperature to normal. The person feels warm and the skin may be moist.
Cardiac Output

28. How does external respiration occur?
1) ventilation - Which is the movement of air in and out of the lung. 2) dispersion of air throughout the bronchial tree of the lungs; 3) diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules across the alveolar membranes; 4) perfusion - the movement of b
hemorrhage - vomiting - diarrhea - burns - and myocardial infarctions.
Acute anxiety stimulate the nervous system - raising the pulse.
low BP

29. Breathing is an involuntary automatic function controlled by the respiratory center located where?
Pons and Medulla of the brainstem
It will also fall
Core Temperature
permanent damage to the heart - the brain - the kidneys - and the retina of the eye - may cause strokes

30. How does emotional stress raise the body's temperature?
30 seconds and multiplied by 2. unless the person is very sick or has resp. problems you should count for one full minute.
oximeter
The emotions increase hormone secretion - and the body activities required for this increase heat production.
the palpation method is used. put cuff over arm - feel the radial point to get the systolic pressure you cant get the diastolic this way.

31. Heart
about 1 degree higher than oral temperatures
Posterior tibial
shallow or slow breathing
Apical

32. Low oxygen
When an accurate temperature cant be obtained orally and a tympanic or temporal artery thermometer are not available. It may be used when there is nasal congestion or there has been nasal or oral surgery - the patient is unable to keep their mouth cl
systolic pressure indicated by faint - clear sound that gradually grow louder.
hyperoxia
hypoxia

33. Whisting sound of air forced past a partial obstruction - as found in asthma or emphysema.
wheeze
20-30
Dorsalis pedis
Conduction

34. 3 yr old
the lungs
Hyperthermia related to infection or excessive heat exposure
20-30
permanent damage to the heart - the brain - the kidneys - and the retina of the eye - may cause strokes

35. An example of nursing planning
It will also fall
Temperature will remain below 102 degrees with use of hypothermia blanket
hypoxia
pulse deficit - the radial pulse subtracted from the apical pulse equals the pulse deficit.

36. Healthly adult
cardiac patients or patients who have had rectal surgery.
Tachypnea
in the alveoli - tiny thin-walled sacs
12-20

37. right arm vs. left arm/ arm vs. leg BP?
+1
cardiac patients or patients who have had rectal surgery.
Nursing interventions to reduce fever
variation of about 5-10 between arms. and a 10-40 difference in systolic pressure with leg & arm.

38. Fever above 100.2 F
Dorsalis pedis
raises BP.
pyrexia
lysis

39. Blood pressure for any adult should be no higher than
constant
orthostatic hypertension
120/80
72 bpm

40. Elevated temperature
temperature - pulse - respiration - blood pressure - and pain level.
Conduction
fever
Temperature will remain below 102 degrees with use of hypothermia blanket

41. Excessive sweat production
Diaphoresis
hyperoxia
shallow or slow breathing
fever

42. The temperature is continuously elevated with less than 1 degree of variation within a 24-hour period.
constant
Brachial
Blood pressure increases because there is more volume of blood in the vascular system.
Stroke volume

43. The temperature falls to normal and then rises again in a repeating pattern.
Tall - slender people mayy ave a slower pulse rate than short - stout persons
Relapsing
Increases as body tries to remove excess heat
lysis

44. A normal - relaxed breathing pattern
Eupnea
low
Tall - slender people mayy ave a slower pulse rate than short - stout persons
the proper cuff is 21% bigger than the diameter of the arm. the inflatable bladder should go around 3/4 of the arm.

45. Abrupt decline in fever
It increases to push the blood through more rigid pathways.
Crisis
hypotension
Biot's

46. Disappearance of sound. (marks diastolic pressure in adults)
Korotkoff sounds Phase V: Silence
orthostatic hypertension
systolic pressure indicated by faint - clear sound that gradually grow louder.
Crisis

47. This affects the character of the pulse.
Tachypnea
Stimulants increase the pulse rate. Depressants decrease the pulse rate.
blood pressure is lowest in the morning. and higher in the afternoone
Stroke Volume

48. State of insufficient oxygen
pyrexia
hypoxia
Korotkoff sounds
120-139/80-89

49. Side of wrist
Korotkoff sounds Phase III: Knocking
Stertor
Axillary.
Radial

50. A sudden change or muffling of the sound. (indicates diastolic pressure in children and some adults)
Korotkoff sounds Phase IV: Muffling
120-139/80-89
The systolic blood pressure rises slightly because the arota and major arteries tend to harden with age. The diastolic pressure rises also.
the rate - the rhythm - and volume