Dynamics of HCS: Vital Signs

Afebrile

Not having a fever

Apical

relating to, of, or situated on an apex. Or formed with the tip of the tongue

Apical Pulse

Pulse point on the chest at the bottom tip of the heart

Apnea

When you stop breathing when asleep or having little airflow

Arrhythmia

When the heart beats at an irregular rhythm

Axilla

The armpit. underarm; Space below the shoulder where vessels and nerves enter and leave the upper arm

Auscultation

Listening to sounds in the body; typically with a stethoscope.

Blood pressure

The pressure of blood pushing against the artery walls

Bradycardia

A very slow heart rate

Bradyapnea

A slow respiratory rate

Capillary refill

After applying blanching pressure to a capillary bed, used to see time required for return of color

Cardiac arrest

Sudden stop of heart beating.

Carotid pulse

The pulse signal found in the carotid artery in the neck

Constrict

To make narrow, especially by application of pressure

Cyanosis

Bluish discoloration of the skin from poor circulation or lack of oxygen in blood

Diastolic blood pressure

Bottom number of blood pressure reading, shows how much pressure heart puts on arterial walls when resting between beats

Dilate

To make something larger or more open

Dyspnea

Difficult or painful breathing and shortness of breath

Fever

A body temperature that is abnormally high. Can cause shivering and headache.

Febrile

Showing symptoms of a fever

Height

Measurement of the base of a person(feet) to the top of them(highest point of head)

Homeostasis

The balance held within the body systems to make sure the body is able to function and stay alive.

Hypertension

Abnormally high blood pressure

Hypotension

Abnormally low blood pressure

Hypothermia

Having a body temperature well below normal

Hyperthermia

Having a body temperature well above normal

Normotensive

A normal blood pressure

Orthopnea

Breathlessness(shortness of breath) when laying down

Cheyne-Stokes:

Periods of dyspnea followed by periods of apnea

Palpation

Pressing on the surface of the body to feel the inner organs underneath the skin.

Percussion

To tap against a body part with fingers, hands, or small tools for physical examination

Pulse

A rhythmic throbbing in the arteries as blood moves through them.

Pulse deficit

When the heart is being faster than the pulse. Found in heart diseases.

Pulse pressure

Difference between upper and lower numbers of the blood pressure.

Radial Pulse

The pulse in the radial artery that is found in the wrist

Rate

The speed of how quickly something happens. In relation to medical, heart RATE, as an example.

Rales

Abnormal rattling coming from unhealthy lungs when listening with a stethoscope.

Respiration

The act of breathing

Rhythm

The repeated and regular pattern of sound and movement.

Sign

Indications of disease detected by the physician and test results.

Sphygmomanometer

The medical instrument used to measure blood pressure in arteries.

Stethoscope

A medical instrument used to listen to a heart or breathing.

Tachycardia

An abnormally rapid heart rate (>100)

Tachypnea

Abnormally rapid breathing

Tympanic thermometer

Ear thermometers; detects temperature using an x-ray in the ear canal

Rhonchi

Low pitched rattling sounds in the lungs that are heard through a stethoscope.

Wheeze

When an airway is obstructed, a whistling or rattling sound is heard in the lungs.

When are vital signs reported?

When there is a change, abnormality, or inability to measure them

How is temperature produced in the body?

It is produced by metabolism of food and muscle/gland activity

How often or when are vital signs measured?

Upon admission, when required to due to condition, before and after surgery, after a fall/accident occurs, when stated on care plan, when drugs are prescribed that will affect respiration/circulatory system, and with specific complaints(pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain)

What are the 5 sites to check temperature?

Oral, Rectal, Tympanic, Temporal, Axillary

What are the three factors of the pulse?

Rate, Rhythm, Volume

What is the temperature range for oral? What is the normal?

Range: 97.6-99.6 ; Normal: 98.6

What is the temperature range for rectal? What is the normal?

Range: 98.6-100.6 ; Normal: 99.6

What is the temperature range for tympanic? What is the normal?

Range: 98.6-100.6 ; Normal: 98.6

What is the temperature range for temporal? What is the normal?

Range: 98.6-100.6 ; Normal: 99.6

What is the temperature range for axillary? What is the normal?

Range: 96.6-98.6 ; Normal: 97.6

Factors that increase temperature:

Factors that decrease temperature

Where is the carotid and when is it used?

Where: Under jaw in neck ; Used when: During CPR

Where is the apical and when is it used?

Where: Apex of heart ; Used when: Stethoscope use

Where is the Brachial and when is it used?

Where: Front of elbow ; Used when: taking blood pressure

Where is the radial and when is it used?

Where: Under the thumb in wrist ; Used when: pulse count

Where is the popliteal and when is it used?

Where: Behind the knee ; Used when: Assessment

Where is the Femoral and when is it used?

Where: groin ; Used when: assessment and procedure

Where is the Dorsalis Pedis and when is it used?

Where: Top of foot ; Used when: Assessment

Normal pulse from birth to 1 year

80-190

Normal pulse for 2 years

80-160

Normal pulse for 6 years

75-120

Normal pulse for 10 years

70-110

Normal pulse for 12 and older

60-100

Factors that increase pulse:

Factors that decrease pulse:

What is the normal respiration rate?

12-20

How should respirations be counted without patient knowing?

Take pulse for 30 seconds on radial artery, keep number after 30 seconds in back of head and keep fingers on artery to make it seem pulse is still being counted but instead, count the patient’s respirations for last remaining 30 seconds.

Why should respirations be counted without patient knowing?

Because when a person is told to just breathe normally, they instead become conscious of their breathing which can skewer results

What are three things that can be assessed while doing respiration besides rate:

Dyspnea, Character/quality of respirations, and Rales

What are three ways blood pressure is controlled?

Force of heart contractions

Amount of blood pumped in each heartbeat

How easily blood flows through blood vessels

Factors that increase BP:

Factors that decrease BP:

Normal systolic BP

Normal Diastolic BP

What is BMI(Body Mass Index)?

A statistical measure of body weight based on weight and height

What are three types of scales?

Clinical scales, infant scales, and bed/chair scales

What unit of measurement is used to measure blood pressure

mmHg

What is the medical instrument used to measure blood pressure?

Sphygmomanometer

What is prehypertension?

When someone is not yet hypertensive but are in danger of becoming hypertensive if action is not done to fix lifestyle

Why is hypertension called the “silent killer”?

Because a person does not always feel hypertension even if they have it

Why are mercury gauges rarely used anymore?

Because mercury is poisonous and cancer causing

Why is the correct cuff size very important?

If the cuff size is not correct, the reading will not be accurate

Where is the cuff placed?

An inch above the antecubital area bend in inner elbow on brachial artery

What factors prohibit from taking blood pressure from an arm?

An IV, a shunt, an injury, a blocked artery, and having done blood pressure on that arm very recently

Where is the apical pulse taken?

Between the 4th and 5th intercostal midclavicular line, this is the point of maximum impulse(PMI)

What artery should pulse be taken on an infant?

The brachial artery

Where is the posterior tibialis?

Behind the ankle

What are the lub-dub sounds in the heart caused by?

The heart rhythm/beat

What instrument is used to take an apical pulse? How long do you listen to an apical pulse for?

Stethoscope ; listen for 1 full minute

When an radial pulse is irregular, what do you do?

Go to the apical pulse.

What causes pulse deficits?

Heart disease/ unequal pumping of blood throughout the body

What is a thready pulse?

A weak, barely-felt, pulse