Vital Signs Flashcards
(82 cards)
1
Q
Clinical Indicators for Vitals Assessment
A
- Newly admitted (obtain baseline)
- As per MD order or facility’s routine (no order needed as a nurse)
- Pre- and post-surgery or certain procedures
- Before, during, and after administration of specific drugs
- As indicated by client condition/response: “I feel dizzy, weird, funny, different”
2
Q
Pulse
A
- Slow/fast heartbeat
- Each ventricular contraction 60mL of blood (stroke volume)
- Waves travel from aorta through distal artery ends
- Accesses rate (bpm), rhythm, strength & symmetry
3
Q
Bradycardia
A
- heart rate below 60bpm
4
Q
Tachycardia
A
- Heart rate above 100bpm
5
Q
Pulse Deficit Discrepancy
A
- Difference of bpm in different pulse locations
6
Q
Asystole
A
- No heart contractions
- Dead?
7
Q
Arrhythmia
A
- Heart rate outside regular range
8
Q
LUB Heart Sound
A
- signals beginning of systole contraction (blood pushed out of heart)
- Loudest at apex or lower left sternal boarder
9
Q
DUB Heart Sound
A
- Signals beginning of diastole relaxation phase (heart fill with blood)
- Loudest at base (top of heart)
10
Q
Heart Sounds
A
- Blood movement is silent
- Listen to sounds of valve closing after blood passes
11
Q
Palpation of Heart Rate
A
- Best heard at 5th intercostal space at mid clavicular line
- Below nipple (men) & above bra wire line (female)
- Apex, point of maximum impulse (PMI)
12
Q
Apical Pulse
A
- above heart apex
- Check if radial pulse is irregular, uncertainty or pulse deficit
- Difficult to check in children
- Always check in infants <2
- Monitor during administration of drugs that alter heart rate (digoxin/lanoxin)
13
Q
Auscultation of Heart Rate
A
- Use diaphragm of stethoscope
- Apex of heart 4/5th intercostal space
- Listen for LUB & DUB
- Count LUB sounds for 60 seconds
14
Q
Distal Pulse Sites
A
- Temporal
- Carotid (side of neck)
- Brachial (inner side of biceps)
- Radial (inner wrist under thumb line)
- Femoral (near pelvic bone)
- Popliteal (behind knee)
- Posterior tibial (lower limb calf)
- Dorsalis pedis (over instep of food)
15
Q
Radial Pulse
A
- Take on adults & children 3+
- Most accessible
- Located inside wrist on thumb line
- Excess pressure will obliterate pulse
16
Q
Rhythm of Radial Pulse
A
- Count for 30 seconds multiple by 2 for bpm
- Unexpected finding at radial listen to apical site for 30 seconds
17
Q
Newborn Pulse
A
- 120bpm
- Range 70-190
18
Q
Toddler Pulse
A
- 110bpm
- Range 80-130
19
Q
Child Pulse
A
- 95bpm
- Range 70-115
20
Q
Preteen Pulse
A
- 90bpm
- Range 65-110
21
Q
Teen Pulse
A
- 80bpm
- Range 55-105
22
Q
Adult Pulse
A
- 70-75bpm
- Range 60-100
23
Q
Elite Athlete Pulse
A
- 50-60bpm
- Range 50-100
24
Q
Pulse Influencing Factors
A
- Age, younger = faster
- Gender, men faster
- Exercise, increased oxygen needs = faster
- Medications faster/slower
- Fever, increased metabolic need = faster
- Hemorrhage, loosing blood = faster
- Stress, increased fight/flight = faster
- Body position change, pump blood further = faster
- Pain, SYN response = faster
- Heart/respiratory contractions faster/slower
25
Pulse Documentation
- Strength (amplitude) 0-4
- 4 bounding, 3 full & increased, 2 normal, 1 diminished, 0 absent
- Rhythm (different volumes)
- Rate, bpm (2x30secs)
- Symmetry/location
26
Blood Pressure
- Pressure within arteries while pumping blood (how hard heart is working)
- Forced exerted on walls of artery under pressure from heart
- Indicator of cardiovascular health
- Access same time as pulse
- Measured in mmHg on sphygmomanometer
27
Systolic Blood Pressure
- peak of maximum pressure with ejection/contraction
- top number
28
Diastolic Blood Pressure
- minimum pressure exerted with relaxation
- bottom number
29
Contributing Factors of Blood Pressure
- Cardiac output
- Peripheral vascular resistance
- Viscosity
- Elasticity of vessel walls
30
Hypertension (HTN)
- High blood pressure
- 140+
31
Diurnal Rhythm
- Varies throughout day
- Higher in AM
32
Hypotension
- Low blood pressure
- Below 90/60
33
Orthostatic Postural Hypotension
- Caused by change in body position
- Sustained drop in blood pressure
34
Pulse Pressure
- Difference between systolic & diastolic pressure
35
Shock
- Heart failure
- Decreased/narrow pulse pressure
36
Assessment of Blood Pressure
- Use cuff
- 2/3 circumference of upper arm
- Too tight, artificially increase reading
- Too loose, artificially decrease reading
37
Technique of Blood Pressure Assessment
- calmly seated for 5 minutes
- Back supported with chair
- Bare arm/thing clothing
- Arm supported at level of heart
- Feet on floor
- Uncrossed legs
- No talking prior to or during procedure
38
Measurement of Blood Pressure
- Palpitate brachial artery
- Systolic over diastolic
- Inflated cuff stops arterial blood flow
- Silent blood flow when artery no longer compressed
- 1st beat systolic
- Last beat diastolic
39
Newborn Blood Pressure
- 73/55mmHg
40
Infant Blood Pressure
- 85/37mmHg
41
Toddler Blood Pressure
- 89/46mmHg
42
Child Blood Pressure
- 95/57mmHg
43
Preteen Blood Pressure
- 102/61mmHg
44
Teen Blood Pressure
- 112/64mmHg
45
Adult & Elite Athletes
- <120/80mmHg
46
Risk Assessment for Blood Pressure
- Low risk 120/80
- Medium risk 121-139/80-89
- High risk 140+/90+
- Hypotension <90/<60
47
Influencing Factors of Blood Pressure
- Age up/down
- Stress up
- Medications up/down
- Ethnicity (up for Asian, indigenous & black)
- Gender up men after puberty & women in menopause
- Diurnal variations (daily fluctuations, higher in morning)
48
Temperature
- Result of difference between heat produced by metabolism & lost through skin
- Normal body temp 37C
49
Rectal Temperature
- Core temperature
- Red probe
- 37-37.5C
- Under 6 months
50
Tympanic (ear)
- Core temperature
- 36-37.5C
51
Temporal (forehead)
- Surface temperature
- 36.5-37.5C
52
Oral Temperature
- Surface temperature
- Blue probe
- 36.5-37.5
53
Axilla (armpit)
- Surface temperature
- 35.9-37.2
54
Temperature Accuracy
- Hot/cold drink in last 30 mins
- Chewing gum or smoking in last 30 mins
- Wait 10-15 minutes for accurate reading
- Posterior mouth, under tongue near back molars
55
Influencing Factors of Temperature
- Age
- Exercise
- Hormone levels
- Circadian rhythm
- Environment
- Stress
56
Temperature of Fever
- 37.8C
57
Febrile
- fever
58
Afebrile
- absence of fever
59
Pyrogen
- bacteria/virus causing fever
60
Antipyretic
- fever treatment medication
61
Diaphoresis
- Movement of air between lung passages
- Access rate, rhythm, depth & effort
62
Diffusion
- gas exchange in body
63
Perfusion
- flow of air in & out of bronchi
64
Assessment of Respirations
- Rate, # of inspirations/expirations per 30 seconds
- Rhythm, regularity of inspirations/expirations
- Depth/effort, degree of movement of chest wall
- Count ins/exps for 30 secs multiple by 2 (60 secs for children/abnormal)
65
Tachypnea
- Faster than 20 breaths per minute
66
Bradypnea
- Slower than 12 breaths per minutes
67
Dyspnea
- Difficulty breathing
- No pain
68
Apnea
- Lack of breathing
- Irregular rhythm
69
Newborn Respirations
- 30-40 per minute
70
Infant Respirations
- 20-40 per minute
71
Toddler Respirations
- 25-32 per minute
72
Child Respirations
- 20-26 per minute
73
Preteen Respirations
- 18-26 per minute
74
Teen Respirations
- 12-22 per minute
75
Adult Respirations
- 12-20 per minute
76
Elite Athlete Respirations
- 10-20 per minute
77
Influencing Factors of Respirations
- Young age, up
- Exercise, up
- Hypothermia, down
- Anxiety, up
- Smoking, up
- Upright body position, down
- Opioid/narcotic use, down
- Medical conditions (anemia), up
78
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2)
- Indirect measurement of O2 in blood
- Infrared light passes through tissues to read blood cells
- Determines amount of red blood cells stock with O2 in %
- Reveals oxygenation issues
- Also measures pulse (inaccurate)
79
Regular Oxygen Saturation
- 95%+
80
Underlying Lung Disease Oxygen Saturation
- 92%
81
Measuring Oxygen Saturation
- Finger fully in probe
- Light against nail bed
- Hand steady (hold if shakey)
82
Influencing Factors of Oxygen Saturation
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Smoke inhalation
- Restless, agitated, moving
- Nail polish/artificial nails
- External light sources
- Intravascular imaging dyes
- Jaundice
- Peripheral edema (fluid swelling in hands/fingers)