Chapter 9 Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are the four areas the student nurse should assess?
Physical appearance Body structure Mobility Behavior
How is BMI calculated?
BMI = wt (kg) / ht (m)² or BMI= wt (lbs) / ht (in)² x 703
Describe how temperature is regulated and how it pertains to your vital signs.
Cellular metabolism requires a stable core, or “deep body,” temperature mean (37.2⁰ C/99⁰F). Body maintains a steady temperature through a thermostat, or feedback mechanism, regulated by the hypothalamus.
What are the influences on temperature?
Diurnal cycle Menstrual cycle Exercise Age
What are the differing routes to assess temperature
Oral - normal 37 C or 98.6 F Axillary Rectal (most accurate) - 0.4-0.5 C higher (0.7-1 F higher) Tympanic membrane thermometer Temporal Artery Thermometer
What are the normal and abnormal rates for pulse.
The normal range for heart rate is 50 to 95 beats per minute. Bradycardia is a heart less than 50 bpm; tachycardia is a heart rate of more than 95 bpm.
What is sinus arrhythmia?
In sinus arrhythmia the heart rate varies with the respiratory cycle, speeding up at the peak of inspiration and and slowing to normal with expiration. Commonly found in children and young adults.
What are the normal respiratory rates?
Neonate: 30-40 breaths/min 1 yr: 20-40 breaths/min (up to 60) 2 yr: 25-32breaths/min 8-10 yr: 20-26 breaths/min 12-14 yr: 18-20 breaths/min 16 yr: 12-20 breaths/min Adult: 10-20 breaths/min
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood pushing against the side of its container, the vessel wall.
What is the differnce between systolic and diastolic pressure?
Systolic pressure (SBP) is themax pressure felt on the artery during the ventricular contraction (systole).
Diastolic pressure (DBP) is the pressure in the elastic recoil, or resting, pressure that exerts constantly b/t each contraction.
What are the influences on blood pressure?
- Age
- Race
- Weight
- Emotions
- Sex
- Diurnal rhythm
- Exercise
- Stress
How does cardiac output controll BP?
If the heart pumps more blood in the container (blood vessel), the pressure on the container increases. Blood pressure increases with heavy exercise to meet the body’s demand for increased metabolism.
Blood pressure decreases with pump failure (weak pumping action after myocardial infarction, or in shock)
How does vascular resistance affect blood pressure?
Blood pressure increases with an increse in resitance (vasoconstriction) and decreases with a decreases in resitance (vasodilation).
Describe how volume affect blood pressure.
A decrease in volume (hemorrhage) will cause a decrease in blood pressure, while an increase in volume (increased sodium and water retention, intravenous fluid overload) will increase blood pressure.
How does viscocity affect blood pressure?
An increase in viscosity (increased hematocrit in polycythemia) will increase blood pressure.
Describe how the elasticity of the arterial wall affect blood pressure?
An increase in ridgity, or hardening as in arteriosclerosis (heart pumping against greater resistance) will increase blood pressure.
Errors in blood pressure measurements
Abnormalities in BP
