Vital Signs + Pain-- TEST 1 Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are age-appropriate variations in vital signs and pain assessment techniques?
Infants have higher HR/RR, lower BP. Use FLACC for infants, Faces for children, Numeric scale for adults.
What are the key components of ENT assessment?
Inspect ears, nose, and throat. Check tympanic membranes, nasal patency, and throat for swelling or redness.
What are the vital sign norms by age group?
Infants: ↑HR, ↑RR, ↓BP. Older adults: normal pain perception, weaker pulses.
What are the common pain assessment tools by age group?
FLACC (infants), Faces (children), Numeric (adults). Use consistently for accurate interpretation.
What are the different types of pain and their characteristics?
Nociceptive: injury-related. Neuropathic: nerve damage (burning, stabbing). Complex regional: unexplained pain with sensory/motor changes.
Where is the recommended place to check pulses in infants/ children?
Apical Pulse
Why do we evaulate peripheral pulses in infants/children?
To assess perfusion and hemodynamic stability
What are the normal vitals for neonates?
HR: Close to 200 beats per minute (closer to 120/ minute after a few hours of life); RR 40-60/ minute, even 80 sometimes; BP: 60-96 / 30-62 NOTE sustained tachycardia is first sign of infection in neonate
What are the normal vitals for children?
HR: > one teens, decreases with age; RR >1 20-40, decreases with age; BP= ALL OVER THE PLACE below 90th percentile for height and weight
What are the normal vitals for pregnant women?
HR gradually increases, gradual increase in BP, BUT if 140/90= gstational HTN; >160= sign of preeclampsia
How does inspiration work?
Diaphragm moves down + external intercostal muscles expand
How does expiration work?
Using internal intercostal muscles
What are nociceptors?
Transmit pain impulses from site of injury through either Delta-A fibers or C-fibers to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (AKA pain receptors)
In what order do pain receptors move?
Site of injury–> dorsal horn of spinal cord–> thalamus–> cerebral cortex
What can modify pain impulses once they’ve reached the spinal cord?
Endorphins + GABA
What should you be assessinng with complaints of pain?
Onset, location, duration, character, aggravating factors, relieving factors, timing, severity (OLDCARTS)
What is considered an urget fever that needs to be addressed in babies 0-3 months?
100.4 F and greater (Any baby with a fever over this needs to be immediately evaluated)
What is considered an urgent fever for greater than 3 months old?
105 F and greater
When do routine blood pressure start getting measured for kids?
Age 3 on the right arm
What is neuropathic pain ?
Chronic pain caused by a lesion or dysfunction of the CNS that persists beyond expected or after healing.
Damaged peripheral nerves fire repeatedly.
What is complex pain syndrome?
Regional pain that extends beyond a specific peripheral nerve injury in an extremity with motor, sensory, and autonomic changes.
No relationship between the original trauma severity and the severity/ cause of the symptoms.
Cause is unknown.
Which muscle increases the amount of space in the intrathoracic cavity during inspiration?
Diaphragm
Which behavior is typically found when assessing an infant for pain?
Protective posture
Which description accurately relates to the auscultatory gap?
It widens with systolic hypertension.
