Chapter 33: Body Measurements and Vital Signs

Which pulse site is measured midway in the groin

The femoral pulse site.

Which pulse site is measured thumb side of the inner surface of the wrist

The radial pulse site.

Which pulse site is measured inner medial surface of the elbow

The brachial pulse site.

Which pulse site is measured instep of the foot

The dorsalis pedis pulse site

Which pulse site is measured on either side of the trachea

The carotid pulse site.

The process of measuring is called:

Mensuration

Used by health care personnel to identify the measurement of body functions that are essential to life

Vital Signs

The process of listening for a pulse is called:

auscultation

The numerical correlation between a patient’s height and weight is called:

body mass index (BMI)

Temperatures below normal are:

subnormal

The process of feeling for a pulse:

palpating

The bottom or lower edge of the heart is:

the apex

The act or process of breathing out is:

expiration

The silent interval between systolic and diastolic pressure is:

the auscultatory gap.

Consistent heart rate below 60 beats per minute is called:

bradycardia

Elevated blood pressure without apparent cause is called:

idiopathic hypertension

Pulse that lacks a regular rhythm is:

arrhythmia.

The fluctuating pressure that the blood exerts against the arterial walls as the heart alternately contracts and relaxes is:

blood pressure

Consistent heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute is:

tachycardia

Refers to the difference between the systolic and diastolic reading

pulse pressure.

The act or process of breathing in is:

inspiration

The drop in blood pressure that occurs when a patient changes from sitting to a standing position

orthostatic hypotension.

A temperature reading of 41.1°C is classified as:

Fatal

A temperature reading of 99.6°–101.0°F is classified as:

Slight

A temperature reading of 104.0°–105.0°F is classified as:

Dangerous

A temperature reading of 101.0°–102.0°F is classified as:

Moderate

A temperature reading of 38.3°–38.8°C is classified as:

Moderate

A temperature reading of 37.5°–38.3°C is classified as:

Slight

A temperature reading of 102.0°–104.0°F is classified as:

Severe

A temperature reading of 38.8°–40.0°C is classified as:

Severe

The accurate measurement of height and weight is best done on a ____ scale.

balanced beam

Vital signs do not indicate the:

a. body’s ability to control heat

b. rate and quality of breathing

c. concentration of white blood cells in the blood

d. rate, volume, and rhythm of the heart

c. concentration of white blood cells in the blood

A person with a temperature above normal is said to be:

febrile

What is the normal oral temperature range?

97.6°F - 99.6°F (36.5°C to 37.5°C).

An advantage of a temporal artery thermometer is that it:

a. is inexpensive

b. is as accurate as a rectal thermometer

c. requires no cleaning

d. does not require environmental acclimation

b. is as accurate as a rectal thermometer

What color is the oral probe used with an electronic thermometer?

Blue

Which type of thermometer is also known as an aural thermometer?

Tympanic thermometer

When taking an adult’s temperature rectally, the patient should be positioned on his or her:

left side

Which of the following is not an advantage of measuring temperature with a temporal artery thermometer (TAT)?

a. proven highly accurate

b. unaffected by perspiration

c. appropriate for all ages

d. easily sanitized

b. unaffected by perspiration

What is the average body temperature in Celsius?

37 degrees

It is the ____ pulse that is palpated during CPR.

carotid

The average pulse rate of patients in their 30s and 40s is _______ beats per minute.

60 to 100

Compared to the pulse rate of a male, a female’s pulse rate is approximately:

10 beats per minute faster

The force or strength of the pulse is referred to as its:

volume

You should never use your ____ to measure pulse rate.

thumb

Difficult or labored breathing is called:

dyspnea

A faster than normal rate of respiration is known as:

tachypnea

The relaxation phase of blood pressure is known as:

diastolic pressure.

A blood pressure cuff should be the proper size. The recommended bladder length is ____ percent of the patient’s arm circumference, and the ideal width is at least ____ percent.

80, 40

The temperature-regulating center in the body is located in the _______.

hypothalamus.

Hypertension can result from all but which of the following?

a. active lifestyle

b. obesity

c. high salt intake

d. stress

a. active lifestyle.

Physical conditions that cause hypertension include:

a. thyroid dysfunction

b. atherosclerosis

c. arteriosclerosis

d. all of the above

d. all of the above

True or False: The normal adult body temperature ranges from 97°F to 99°F (36.1°C to 37.2°C).

True

True or False: A sphygmomanometer is used to measure respiratory rate.

False, it is used to measure blood pressure.

True or False: The pulse rate is typically lower in children than in adults

False, the pulse rate is typically higher in children than in adults.

True or False: Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: systolic over diastolic

True

True or False: The average pulse rate for adults is generally between 60 and 100 beats per minute

True

True or False: Weight should always be measured with the patient wearing heavy clothing and shoes for accuracy

False, weight should be measured without heavy clothing and shoes to ensure accuracy.

True or False: Vital signs include temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure

True

True or False: The apical pulse is measured at the wrist

False, the apical pulse is measured at the heart, typically using a stethoscope.

True or False: An elevated body temperature is known as hypothermia

False, an elevated body temperature is known as hyperthermia.

True or False: A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg is considered normal

True

True or False: The respiratory rate is typically higher in infants compared to adults

True

True or False: Measuring a patient's height can help assess overall health and nutritional status.

True

True or False: The radial pulse is felt on the side of the neck

False, it is felt on the wrist.

True or False: The stethoscope is used to auscultate heart sounds and measure blood pressure

True

True or False: Pulse oximetry measures the oxygen saturation level in the blood

True

True or False: The average respiration rate for adults is 12 to 20 breaths per minute

True

The instrument used to measure blood pressure is called a ___________.

sphygmomanometer.

An abnormal decrease in body temperature is referred to as ___________.

hypothermia.

A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg is classified as ___________.

hypertension

The medical term for high blood pressure is ___________.

hypertension

In adults, the typical range for a normal pulse oximetry reading is _____% to _____%.

95 to 100

The ___________ pulse is commonly assessed in infants due to its accessibility

brachial