Hand Hygiene, Vital Signs and Blood Glucose

What is the single most important action to reduce the transmission of infection?

handwashing

How long should you wash your hands for at a minimum?

20 seconds

Unless hands are visibly soiled, what is the preferred method to cleanse hands?

hand sanitizer

What disease must we wash our hands after dealing with?

c. diff or norovirus

What are the “signs of life” which are a baseline and ongoing indicators of a pts health status?

vital signs

What are the 5 vital signs?

temp, pulse, respiratory rate, BP, and oxygen saturation

What skill do we use our eyes and nose to do?

inspection

What skill do we use our hands to feel?

palpation

What skills do we use our ear to listen to?

auscultation

What do we call our first set of vital signs?

baseline

When do we take our pts vital signs?

change in status, as scheduled, when pt seems off

What type of pts do we not take vital signs on?

hospice

What is a pattern that we see develop over time to give us clues on pts health?

trends

Before removing equipment from a patient's room, what should you do?

wipe with sani-wipe

What is the average range for a temperature?

97-99^o F

What is considered a fever at OSUWMC?

100.4^o F

What is the most common route for temperature in people 5 years of age and older?

oral

Where do you place a temperature probe in oral temp?

R or L posterior sublingual pocket

How many degrees difference is axillary temperature from oral?

1 degree less

What is a low temp os OSUWMC?

97^o F

What temp route reflects core temp best?

rectal

What is the rhythmic throbbing of an artery as blood passes through it?

pulse

What is the pulse range for adults?

60-100 bpm

What is the pulse range for children?

80-120 bpm

What is the pulse range for newborns?

100-160

What is a slower-than-expected HR, less than 60 bpm?

bradycardia

What is a faster-than-expected HR, greater than 100 bpm?

tachycardia

What is the point of maximal impulse?

5th intercostal space, left midclavicular line

When should you count a pulse for 60 seconds?

radial pulse is irregular, pt on cardiac med, pt is an infant

What is the number of breaths a person takes per minute?

respiratory rate

What is the average RR for an adult?

12-20 breaths/min

What is the average RR for a child?

varies per age

What is the average RR for an infant?

30-60 breaths/min

What do you call a slower-than-expected RR?

bradypnea

What do you call a faster-than-expected RR?

tachypnea

What do you call an absence of breathing?

apnea

What is a non-invasive test used to measure the oxygen level of hemoglobin in the blood?

pulse oximetry

What is the average rate of pulse oximetry?

92-100%

What factors affect pulse ox?

cold extremities, poor circulation, movement of extremities, nail polish/acrylic nails

What do you call oxygen deficiency at the tissue level?

hypoxia

What is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls?

blood pressue

Who do we normally not do routine BP on?

children less than 3

What is the heart doing in the systolic phase?

squeeze

What is the heart doing in the diastolic phase?

relax

What is the average range of systolic BP for adults?

90-120 mmHg

What is the average range of diastolic BP for adults?

60-80 mmHg

When a pt is lying on their side what will their BP read?

false low

What do you call high blood pressure?

hypertension (HTN)

What do you call low blood pressure?

hypotension

What arms do you never place a BP cuff on?

on IV line, PICC line, wound, limb alert pts

When a BP cuff is too small for a pt what will the BP look like?

false high

When a BP cuff is too large for a pt what will the BP look like?

false low 

What do you call a low blood glucose?

hypoglycemia

What do you call a high blood glucose?

hyperglycemia

What does ACHS mean?

before meals and at bedtime

What is the average range for blood glucose?

80-150 mg/dL

How many wipes do you need to use to clean the glucometer?

2