Understanding Vital Signs and Body Temperature

Vaporization

Evaporation of moisture from body (Insensible water and heat loss) ie expired air and evaporation of skin moisture.

O2 saturation

How much oxygen does your blood have. It is usually checked by pulse oximeter. 95% - 100%.

Diurnal Variations

Circadian rhythms affecting body temperature.

Body Temperature

Reflects the balance between the heat produced and heat loss. Measured in heat units called degrees.

Core Temperature

Temperature of the deep tissues in the body. Relatively constant - i.e. Abdominal cavity pelvic cavity.

Surface Temperature

Temperature of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, & fats. In contrast to Core Temperature, it rises and falls in response to the environment.

Hyperpyrexia

A very high fever.

Febrile

A client who has a fever (Prefix: Afebrile, meaning no fever).

Pyrexia

A fever but not as high as hyperpyrexia.

Hypothermia

Abnormally low temperature.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Rate of energy utilization required to maintain essential activities.

Muscle Activity

The more you move the more heat you will produce.

Thyroxine Output

Effect: chemical thermogenesis.

Stress

Increase our cellular metabolism.

Fever

Abnormally high body temperature.

Intermittent Fever

Alternating temperature at regular intervals between periods of fever and periods of normal or subnormal temperatures.

Remittent Fever

Wide range of temperature fluctuations (more than 2°C [3.6°F]) occurs over the 24-hour period, all of which are above normal.

Relapsing Fever

Short febrile periods of a few days are interspersed with periods of 1 or 2 days of normal temperature.

Constant Fever

Body temperature fluctuates minimally but always remains above normal.

Radiation

Transfer of heat from one surface to another without contact between the two objects.

Conduction

Transfer of heat between two objects in contact.

Convection

Dispersion of heat by air currents.

Types of Thermometer

Includes mercury in glass thermometer, electronic thermometer, chemical disposable thermometer, temperature sensitive tap, infrared thermometers, and temporal artery thermometers.

Fever Spikes

A temperature which rises to fever level rapidly following a normal temperature and then returns to normal within a few hours.

Celsius

Centigrade temperature scale.

Fahrenheit

Temperature scale where 100F indicates fever.

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion

C= (Fahrenheit temperature- 32) x 5/9

Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion

F= (Celsius temperature x 9/5) +32

Resolution By Crisis

Patient took medication to address the fever.

Resolution By Lysis

Fever slowly decreases.

Pulse

Wave of blood created by contraction of the left ventricle of the heart.

Stroke Volume

Normal stroke volume is 70cc each contraction of the left ventricle.

Heart Rate (HR)

Expressed in beats per minute (BPM).

Hypothermia

Body temperature that is lower than normal.

Accidental Hypothermia

Exposure to cold environment, immersion in cold water, or lack of adequate clothing.

Induced Hypothermia

Usually done during surgery.

Compliance

Ability to contract and expand (arteries).

Cardiac Output

Volume of blood pumped into the arteries by the heart, calculated as CO = SV X HR.

Peripheral Pulse

Pulse located away from the heart.

Apical Pulse

Central pulse located at the apex of the heart.

Rectal Temperature Measurement

Reliable measurement for core temperature but contraindicated for certain conditions.

Axillary Temperature Measurement

Preferred site for measuring temperature in newborns but may not accurately detect fever.

Respiration

The act of breathing.

Tachycardia

Excessively fast heart rate.

Bradycardia

Decreased heart rate than normal.

Dysrhythmia

Pattern of the beats and the intervals between the beats.

Costal Breathing

Involves the external intercostal muscles and accessory muscles.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Involves the contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm.

Pulse Volume

Refers to the force of blood with each beat, also known as pulse strength.

Apnea

Absence of breathing.

Eupnea

Normal breathing.

Apical-Radial Pulse

Normal if apical and radial rates are identical; abnormal if apical pulse rate is greater than radial pulse.