Vitals Competency Questions - Packet

What are the normal ranges for an adult?

Adult = 60-100 per minute

What are the normal ranges for a child?

Child = 90-120 per minute

What artery do you palpate when reading the pulse?

Radial

What is it called if someone has a faster-than-normal heart rate?

Tachycardia

What is it called if someone has a slower-than-normal heart rate?

Bradycardia

How long do you take their pulse for?

30 seconds

How do you determine the reading?

Take the number you got and multiply it by 2

Why may an athlete's pulse be lower than average?

When the heart is stronger or healthier, it can pump more blood with less effort

What is the normal range of respirations for

Adult: 14-20 rpm Child: 20-25 rpm

How long do you watch the patient's respirations?

15 seconds

How do you determine the final respiration per minute?

Take the number you got and times it by 4 5.

Why do we as oral health care professionals care about the patient's respirations

Patient's respirations can indicate a condition, such as anxiety

What type of medical emergency is associated with rapid respirations

Hyperventilation

How is this medical emergency managed?

Terminate treatment, position patient upright, immediately tell the patient "There will be no more dental treatment today", reassure patient, ask patient tobreathe in deeply and breathe out with pursed lips

Normal BP

Systolic:under 120

and

Diastolic: under 80

Systolic:under 120

and

Diastolic: under 80

Elevated BP

Systolic: 120-129

and

Diastolic: less than 80

Stage 1

Systolic: 130-139

or

Diastolic: 80-89

Stage 2

Systolic: 140 or higher

or

Diastolic: 90 or higher

hypertensive crisis

Systolic: higher than 180

and/or

Diastolic: higher than 120

UNH cutoff

160/100

What does mmHg mean?

Millimeters of mercury

Which arteries do you palpate?

Brachial and radial

What is happening during systolic?

Systolic: the heart and ventricles are contracting

What is happening during diastolic?

Diastolic: the heart and ventricles are relaxing

What are the sounds called that are heard when taking blood pressure?

Korotkoff sounds

Where do you put the stethoscope?

One inch below the antecubital fossa, above the brachial artery

What if the patient had no arms?

Take the reading on the leg from the femoral artery

How long do you have to wait before you can take blood pressure a second time?

1 minute

What if the blood pressure needs to be taken a third time?

Use the other arm

How quickly do you release the pressure on the cuff?

2-3 mmHg per second 9.

What is the name of the BP cuff?

Sphygmomanometer

What is auscultation?

Act of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, TMJ, or other organs with a stethoscope