Allied Health Test

vital signs

various determinations that provide information about basic body conditions of a pattern

temperature

measurement of the balance between heat lost and heat produced by the body

oral temperatures

temperature taken in the mouth

oral

what type of method for taking temperature is most common and convienient?

rectal temperatures

temperature taken in the rectum

rectal

what method for taking temperature is the most accurate?

infants, small children, and patients with hypothermia

what kinds of patients are rectal temperatures taken on?

axillary temperatures

temperature taken in the armpit

axillary

what method of taking temperature is the least accutate?

aural temperatures

temperature taken in the ear (special tympanic thermometer)

blood vessels

Aural temperatures are used by measuring infrared radiation from ____; provides core temperature reading

temporal temperatures

temperatures taken with special temporal thermometer across forehead

-measures temperature in temporal artery

97-99

what is the normal range for body temperature?

individual differences

people's accelerated body processes have higher temperatures, slower body processes have lower temperature

time of day

temperature lower in the morning and higher temperature in the evening

body sites

parts of the body (where the temperature is taken)

illness, infection, exercise, excitement

what are 4 things that increase temperatures?

starvation, sleep, decreased muscle activity

what are 3 reasons that decrease temperature?

fever

elevated body temperature usually above 100

-symptoms caused by infection or injury

fever

Sweating, chills, headache, loss of appetite are all symptoms of a _____.

hypothermia

low body temperature, below 95

93F

During hypothermia, death occurs below ____

hypothermia

Slurred speech, confusion, memory loss, and bright red skin are all symptoms of _____

hyperthermia

body temperature above 104F

106

During hyperthermia, ____F can cause brain damage, convulsions, and death

electronic thermometers

uses heat sensor to record temperature and displays in electronic viewer

health care facilities; axillary

Electronic thermometers:

-Most common in _____

-can be used to take oral, rectal, or _____ temperature

two-tenths

Temperature is always recorded to ______ of a degree

(R), (Ax), (A), (TA), none

State the correct abbreviations for where the temperature is being recorded:

-Rectal

-Axillary

-Aural

-Temporal

-Oral

pulse

pressure of blood felt against the wall of an artery as the heart contracts and relaxes (or beats)

temporal

pulse taken on either side of forehead

carotid

pulse taken at the neck on either side of trachea

Brachial

pulse taken on the inner aspect of forearm in crease of elbow

radial

pulse taken on inner aspect of wrist above thumb

femoral

pulse taken on inner aspect of upper thigh where it joins the groin

popliteal

pulse taken behind the knee

Dorsalis pedis

pulse taken on the top of the foot arch

posterior tibial

pulse taken just below and behind bony part of ankle on the inner side

rate, rhythm, and volume

what are the 3 factors noted when measuring pulse?

rate

number of beats per minute

60-100, 60-70, 65-80, 70-100, 80-110, 100-160

Pulse Rates:

-Adults: _____ bpm

-Adult men: _____ bpm

-Adult women: _____ bpm

-Children over 7 years: _____ bpm

-Children 1-7: _____ bpm

-Infants: _____ bpm

bradycardia

a pulse rate under 60 bpm (can be due to electrical issues in the heart, metabolic problems, medications, or heart disease

trachycardia

a pulse rate 100 bpm (can be due to fever, stress, medications, metabolic problems, or heart disease

rhythm

regularity of pulse, spacing of beats

rhythm

_____ is described as regular or irregular

arrhythmia

irregular or abnormal rhythm usually caused by a defect in the electrical conduction pattern of the heart

volume

strength, force, intensity, or quality of pulse

strong, bounding, weak, thready

How is the volume of pulse described?

apical pulse

pulse taken with stethoscope at apex of heart