preparing for clinical measurements (Vet health)

purpose of clinical measurement

• essential medical procedures used to assess patient health

• Healthcare workers must be trained & knowledge in taking accurate measurements

common measurements

• Vital signs; BP, heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate

• Height and weight

• Vision testing

• Blood glucose

• Basic hearing tests

Legal and ethical considerations

Children in the workplace; children can consent to simple treatments at 14

make adult-like healthcare decisions at 16, but refusing lifesaving treatments until 18.

duty of care

workers have responsibility to minimise any potential harm or injury to their patients.

informed consent

• ensure patients understand the purpose

• benefits and the risk of medical procedures

• non-health professionals may lack necessary medical knowledge to provide explanations.

mandatory reporting

Legal requirement for specific individuals to report suspected child abuse and neglect to authorities.

Each Australian state and territory having its own policies and obligations.

records management

• maintaining accurate, reliable records enhances efficiency and effectiveness in practice

• ensures easy access to information

• helps meets accountability and compliance requirements.

measuring weight

• check for average rates of development of babies, children & adolescents

• recording weight that is lighter than average based on height, age

measuring body circumference

• bust (chest line)

• chest (under bust line)

• upper arm (above elbow)

• waist (above belly button)

• hips (widest part)

• thighs & calves (widest part)

BMI (body mass index)

method that provides estimate of total body fat based on person’s height and weight

heart rate

• number of times hearts beat per minute

• ‘lub dub’ sound of heartbeat caused by rhythm closing of heart valves

blood pressure

indicates how effectively oxygenating blood is moving through the circulatory system

respiratory rate

number of breaths you take per minute (bpm)

body tempereture

indicates amount of heat in the body

goose neck lamps

medical lamp is focused on a specific area to make the completion of visual tasks more manageable

penlight

diagnostic tool and are especially handy when used to access:

• eyes (pupils dialation)

• mouth and throat

• small areas that would be difficult

penlights on eyes

• eyes (pupil response)

• wounds in mouth or throat

• illuminate patient room

colour blindness

a symptom on not seeing colours the way people see it

distance visual acuity testing

eye exam measuring how well you see the details of a letter or symbol from a specified distance

using audiometer

machine that produces a range of beeps and whistles, known as pure tones

blood glucose levels

main type of sugar in blood and is main source of energy for body’s cells

percussion (reflex) hammer

instrument used by those in healthcare industry to test deep tendon reflexes

timing devices

• fob watch

• wristwatch

• timer on phone

• wall clock

chemical reagent strip urinalysis

Chemical examination of urine is carried out using commercially prepared test strips. These are narrow plastic strips that hold test pads. Each has a different kind of chemical inside, and they’re arranged in a row

materials required for urinalysis

• urinalysis test strip colour chart

• urine reagent strip (dipstick)

• sterile specimen container

• clinical waste disposal bin

10 frequent performed chemical tests using reagent test strip

• leukocyte esterase

• nitrite

• urobilinogen

• protein

• pH

• blood

• specific gravity

• ketones

• bilirubin

• glucose

1. lueukocyte esterase

• enzyme present in most white blood cells (WBCs) that is called leukocyte esterase

• white blood cells are part of body’s immune system. Help body fight infection & other diseases

• negative (-ve) result - its not present: not a lot of WBCs in the urine. Normal result

• positive (=ve) result - its present: indicates the presence of inflammation in urinary tract or kidneys, there are lots of WBCs in urine

2. Nitrire

• test is used to identify a range of urinary tract infections, otherwise known as UTIs (Urinary Tract Infection)

• bacteria can covert nitrate in your system to nitrite

• urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of the urinary system. The urinary system includes kidneys, ureters, bladder & urethra

• If Nitrite is present: there is likely ‘bad’ bacteria present and can lead to UTIs

3. Urobilinogen

• urobilinogen in urine test measures the amount of urobilinogen in your urine

• normal urine contains some urobilinogen

• too much urobilinogen in urine may be a sign of liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis, or types of anemia

• little or no urobilinogen may be a sign of other problems with your liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts

4. Protein

• the amount of protein in the urine usually is undetectable

• if you have high levels of protein in your urine, this indicates a condition called proteinuria which can be an early sign of kidney disease

5. pH

• a neutral pH is 7.0

• average urine sample tests at 6.0, typical urine pH may range from 4.5-8.0

• higher the number, more basic your urine is

• lower the number, more acidic your urine is

• kidneys are integral in maintaining the acid-base