Vital Signs, Oxygen, Chest Tubes, and Lines

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of homeostasis, vital sign parameters, abnormal conditions, measurement techniques, and oxygen therapy devices.

Homeostasis

Relative consistency in the internal environment of the body that is naturally maintained by adaptive responses that promote healthy survival, primarily maintained by heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, and electrolyte balance.

Vital signs

Mechanisms that adapt to responses, in or outside the body, to maintain homeostasis, comprising body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate.

Sensorium

Patient mental alertness, which is often reported along with vital signs.

Body temperature

The degree of heat of the deep tissues of the body.

Thermoregulation

The body's maintenance of heat production and heat loss.

Temporal artery (TA) route

The most commonly used route for measuring body temperature.

Rectal route

The most accurate route used to measure body temperature.

Hyperthermia

A body temperature higher than $99.5^\circ\,\text{F}$.

Febrile

Pertaining to or characterized by fever; a patient with a fever.

Hypothermia

Condition occurring when body temperature falls below $97.6^\circ\,\text{F}$.

Respiration

The action of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, where a single respiration consists of one inspiration and one expiration.

Tidal volume

The volume of gas entering or leaving the lungs, which is determined by the depth of breath.

Diaphragm

The primary muscle of ventilation.

Tachypnea

Respiratory rates greater than $20\,\text{breaths per minute}$.

Bradypnea

An abnormal decrease in respiratory rate.

Dyspnea

Difficulty in breathing.

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing unless sitting or standing with an erect thorax.

Apnea

Absence of spontaneous ventilation.

Auscultation

Listening to the chest with a stethoscope placed over the heart to evaluate the apical pulse.

Pulse oximeter

A noninvasive device typically placed on the finger to assess arterial blood hemoglobin oxygen saturation and pulse rate.

Pulse rate

A measurement reflecting the rapidity of each heart contraction, recorded as beats per minute ($\text{BPM}$).

Radial artery

Common pulse measurement site located on the thumb side of the wrist.

Brachial artery

Common pulse measurement site located in the antecubital fossa of adults and the upper arm of infants.

Carotid artery

Common pulse measurement site located in the neck.

Blood pressure

Measure of the force exerted by the blood on the arterial walls during contraction and relaxation of the heart.

Systolic blood pressure

Peak pressure exerted on the arterial walls during contraction of the heart.

Diastolic blood pressure

Constant pressure exerted on the arterial vessels by blood when the heart is relaxed.

Korotkoff sounds

The turbulent sound of blood flow through the arteries during blood pressure measurement using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope.

Hypertension

Blood pressure greater than $140/90\,\text{mmHg}$.

Hypotension

Blood pressure less than $95/60\,\text{mmHg}$.

Tachycardia

A resting heart rate of over $100\,\text{BPM}$.

Bradycardia

A decrease in heart rate that can result in hypotension and syncope.

Normal adult vital signs

Body temperature of $97.7^\circ\,\text{F} \text{ to } 100^\circ\,\text{F}$, respirations of $12 \text{ to } 20\,\text{breaths per minute}$, pulse of $60 \text{ to } 100\,\text{BPM}$, systolic blood pressure $<120\,\text{mmHg}$, and diastolic blood pressure $<80\,\text{mmHg}$.

Normal child vital signs

Respirations of $20 \text{ to } 30\,\text{breaths per minute}$ and pulse rate of $70 \text{ to } 120\,\text{BPM}$.

Tissue hypoxia

An inadequate amount of oxygen at the cellular (tissue) level, affecting the brain, heart, lungs, and liver most sensitively.

Irreversible brain damage threshold

Lack of oxygen to the brain causes irreversible damage within $6\,\text{min}$.

Nasal cannula

The most common device used to deliver low concentrations of oxygen in addition to room air, delivering between $1 \text{ to } 6\,\text{L/min}$.

Simple oxygen mask

Oxygen device intended for flow rates greater than $6\,\text{L/min}$ to prevent carbon dioxide accumulation.

Large volume nebulizer

Device filled with sterile water that generates an aerosol mist with precise oxygen concentrations at a flow rate of at least $8\,\text{L/min}$.