1. SESSION 1: Vital Signs

Question 0

What is the equation for BMI?

Answer 0

Weight in Kg
_____________

Height in meters squared

Question 1

What are the six vital signs?

Answer 1

1) Height / weight (also head circumference)
2) Temperature
3) Pulse
4) Respirations
5) Blood Pressure
6) Pain

Question 2

Temperature: What part of the brain is set as the “thermostat mechanism?”

Answer 2

Hypothalamus

Question 3

Name four influences on temperature.

Answer 3

1) Diurnal Cycle
2) Menstrual Cycle
3) Exercise
4) Age

Question 4

Routes of Temperature Measurement (5)

Answer 4

1) Oral
2) Electronic
3) Axillary
4) Rectal
5) Tympanic Membrane

Question 5

What is the average oral temperature?

• in Celsius?
• in Fahrenheit?

Answer 5

37*C

98.6*C

Question 6

What is the diurnal variation of temperatures?

Answer 6

• 35.8C to 37.3C

- 96.4F to 99.1C

Question 7

How does the average rectal temperature vary from oral?

Answer 7

Rectal is .5C (1F) GREATER than oral temperature

Question 8

How does Axillary temperature vary from oral temperature?

Answer 8

Axillary temperature is .5C (1F) GREATER than oral temperature

Question 9

How does tympanic temperature vary from oral temperature?

Answer 9

Tympanic Temperature is .8C (1.4F) GREATER than oral temperature.

Question 10

What should you assess when taking the pulse (4)?

Answer 10

1) Rate
2) Rhythm
3) Force
4) Elasticity

Question 11

_____ is the term for a heartbeat that is abnormally slow for age,
_____ is the term for a heartbeat that is abnormally fast for age.

Answer 11

Bradycardia

Tachycardia

Question 12

Respirations per minute for a normal…
ADULT: ____ to ____
INFANT: ____ to ____

Answer 12

Adult: 10-20 per minute
Infant: 30-40 per minute

Question 13

Define SYSTOLIC pressure

• Top number or bottom number?

- What is happening physiologically?

Answer 13

• Top number in BP read.
• Left ventricles contract. Indicates BP when vessels are contracting.
• Measures the amount of pressure that blood exerts on arteries and vessels when heart is beating.

Question 14

Define DIASTOLIC pressure

• Top number or bottom number?

- What is happening physiologically?

Answer 14

• Bottom number

- Represents the minimum pressure in the arteries, when heart is relaxed

Question 16

What physiological factors influences blood pressure (5)?

Answer 16

• Cardiac output
• Vascular Resistance
• Volume
• Viscosity
• Elasticity of vessel walls

Question 16

Equation for Cardiac Output

Answer 16

Heart Rate x Stroke Volume* = Cardiac Output

• Stroke volume = amount of blood pumped out of L ventricle with each beat.

Question 17

Seven demographic influences on blood pressure

Answer 17

• Age
• Gender
• Race
• Emotions
• Weight
• Stress
• Exercise

Question 18

Optimal Conditions for BP (7)

Answer 18

1) Avoid smoking or drinking caffeinated beverages 30 minutes before measurement
2) Ensure the room is quiet and comfortably warm
3) Pt seated quietly in chair with feet on floor for at least 5 minutes
4) Arm should be free of clothing
5) Palpate the brachial artery
6) Position the arm so that the brachial artery is at heart level
7) Rest the arm on a table a little above the pt’s waist, or support the patient’s arm with your own at their mid-chest level

Question 19

Older adults’ vital signs:

• What changes (4)?
• What doesn’t change?

Answer 19

Changes:

1) BP: Systolic hypertension
2) Widened pulse pressure
3) Heart rate and rhythm: Pacemaker cells decline; affect response to physiologic stress.
4) Changes to temperature regulation lead to susceptibility to hypothermia

Respiration stays the same

Question 20

What is normal blood pressure?

Answer 20

<80

Question 21

Eight cardiovascular risk factors

Answer 21

1) Hypertension
2) Cigarette smoking
3) Obseity (BMI > or = 30)
4) Physical inactivity
5) Dyslipidemia
6) Diabetes mellitus
7) Age (55+ for men, 65+ for women)
8) Family history of premature cardiovascular disease

Question 22

Define auscultatory gap. How does this affect clinical methodology?

Answer 22

DEF: Auscultatory gap: A silent interval that may be present between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. (The sound disappears for awhile, than reappears.) Occurs with atrial defibrilation.
**This is why we pump 30mmHg HIGHER after we stop hearing the heartbeat. Just to make sure we aren’t missing this.

Question 23

• Define orthostatic hypotension.
• When should you take serial measurements of pulse and BP? (3)
• Method:

Answer 23

• DEF: Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in systolic pressure of more than 20mmHg or pulse increase of 20bpm or more.
• Take measurements if you suspect volume depletion, if pt is hypertensive or on hypertensive meds, or if pt reports fainting.
• Method: Have pt rest supine for 2-3 minutes, then sit, then stand. Take BP and pulse in each of these 3 positions.

Question 24

Target organ damage due to cardiovascular issues (5)

Answer 24

• Heart: Left ventricle hypertrophy, heart failure
• Brain: stroke or transient ischemic attack
• Chronic Kidney disease
• Peripheral artery disease
• Retinopathy

Question 25

What is prehypertension?
Hypertension stage 1?
Hypertension stage 2?

Answer 25

Pre: 120-139 / 80-89

1: 140-159 / 90-99
2: >= 160 / >= 100