CH 11 Vital Signs, Monitoring Devices, and History Taking

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering vital signs, monitoring equipment, and patient history taking based on Chapter 11 of Prehospital Emergency Care 12th Edition.

Baseline Vital Signs

Signs that are detected by looking, listening, and feeling, often measured using special equipment to establish a starting point for patient assessment.

Normal Adult Respiratory Rate

$12$ to $20$ breaths per minute.

Respiratory Rates of Concern (Adult)

Rates that are less than $8$ or greater than $24$ breaths per minute.

Neonate Respiratory Rate

$40$ to $60$ breaths per minute for a patient birth to $1$ month old.

Respiratory Rhythm

The regularity or irregularity of a patient's respirations.

Stridor (or Crowing)

A noisy respiration sound audible without a stethoscope, caused by a partial obstruction of the upper airway at the level of the larynx.

Wheezing

A sound audible with a stethoscope caused by constriction and inflammation reducing the internal diameter of the bronchioles in the lungs.

Crackles (Rales)

A sound audible with a stethoscope caused by fluid surrounding and filling the alveoli.

Rhonchi

A sound audible with a stethoscope indicating mucus blocking the larger bronchioles.

Rapid, Regular, and Thready Pulse

A reliable sign of shock, often evident in the early stages of blood loss.

Pulsus Paradoxus

A decrease in the strength of the pulse during inspiration, often related to perfusion pressure changes.

Pallor (White Skin Color)

A skin color possible due to vasoconstriction, blood loss, shock, heart attack, fright, anemia, fainting, or emotional distress.

Cyanosis (Blue-Gray Skin Color)

A skin color indicating inadequate oxygenation or perfusion (shock), inadequate respiration, or heart attack.

Jaundice (Yellow Skin Color)

A skin color associated with liver disease.

Mottling (Gray-Blue Skin Color)

A blotchy skin pattern indicating a possible problem with perfusion.

Dilated Pupils

Pupils that are larger than normal, possibly indicating cardiac arrest (if fixed), drug use (LSD, amphetamines, cocaine), or other factors.

Constricted Pupils

Pupils that are smaller than normal, possibly indicating a central nervous system disorder or narcotics use.

Systolic Blood Pressure

The higher-pressure present during the contraction of the left ventricle.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

The pressure present during the relaxation of the left ventricle, reflecting vascular resistance and blood volume.

Pulse Pressure

The difference between systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, which should be between $25\%$ and $50\%$ of the systolic pressure.

Auscultation

The process of listening for systolic and diastolic sounds through a stethoscope during blood pressure measurement.

Palpation (Blood Pressure)

The process of feeling for the return of the pulse as the blood pressure cuff is deflated.

Orthostatic Vital Signs

Vital signs taken while the patient is supine and then two minutes after standing to test for significant loss of blood or fluid volume.

Normal Pulse Oximetry ($SpO_2$)

A measurement of oxygen saturation in hemoglobin where the normal range is $94\%$ to $99\%$. Values below $94\%$ indicate hypoxia.

Capnography ($EtCO_2$ monitoring)

A noninvasive method of measuring the level of carbon dioxide at the end of expiration.

Glucometer Normal Range

$70-140\,mg/dL$.

Wong-Baker FACES

A pain scale used to assess and quantify the level of pain a patient is experiencing.

FLACC Scale

A behavioral pain scale used for scoring based on Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability.

S.A.M.P.L.E. History

A mnemonic for history taking: Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, and Events leading up to the illness/injury.

O.P.Q.R.S.T.

A mnemonic used to evaluate signs and symptoms: Onset, Provocation/Palliation/Position, Quality, Radiation, Severity, and Time.

Chief Complaint

The reason why EMS was called, which serves as the starting point for the patient history.

Normal respiratory rate for adult

12-20 rates per minute

Normal respiratory rate for adolescent 12-15 yrs

12-20 rates per minute

Normal respiratory rate for school age child 6-11

18-25 rates per minute

Normal respiratory rate for preschooler 3-5 yrs

20-28 rates per minute

Normal respiratory rate for toddler 1-2 yrs

22-37 rates per minute

Normal respiratory rate for infant <1 yr

30-53 rates per minute

Neonate birth -1 month

40-60 rates per minute

Respiratory rhythm

The regularity or irregularity of respirations

Eupnoea

Normal breathing rate and pattern

Tachypnoea

Increased respiratory rate

Bradypnoea

Decreased resipratory rate

Apnoea

Absence of breathing

Hyperpnoea

Increased depth and rate of breathing

Cheyne-stokes

Gradual increases and decreases in respirations with periods of apnoea

Biot’s

Abnormal breathing pattern with groups of rapid respiration of qual depth and regular apnoea periods

Kussmaul’s

Tachypnoea and hyperpnoea

Apneustic

Prolonged inspiratory phase with a prolonged expiratory phase

Awake heart rate of normal adult

60-100 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal adolescent

60-100 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal school aged child

75-118 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal preschooler

80-120 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal toddler

98-140 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal infant

100-180 rates per minute

Awake heart rate of normal neonate birth

100-205 rates per minute