Review of Patient Care Positions & Test Preparation

Review of Last Week's Material

• Attendance is taken through Zoom log and Canvas.
• Lecture recordings are available in the modules.

Four Assurances

• Assurances to give patients confidence in your competence.

• Steps:

  1. Wash your hands.
  2. Wear gloves (PPE).
  3. Introduce yourself and your department.
  4. Verify patient identity (two identifiers).

• Patient care is a customer service industry; be nice to patients.

• Two Identifiers:

  • Based on the Joint Commission standards.
  • Acceptable Identifier: Name.
  • Unacceptable Identifier: Room number (patients change rooms frequently).

• Verify patient using their wristband/patient ID band.

• Involve the patient in the verification process.

Vital Signs

• Vital signs include: Temperature, Pulse, Respiratory rate, Blood Pressure.
• Abbreviation: TPR, BP

Temperature

• Normal range in Celsius: 36 to 38 degrees.

• Temperature Sites:

  • Most accurate: Rectal.
  • Oral.
  • Axillary: 0.5 to 1 degree Celsius lower than oral.

• Hyperthermia vs. Hypothermia

  • Hyperthermia: High temperature.
  • Hypothermia: Low temperature.

• Causes of hyperthermia: infection, increased metabolism.

• Avoid taking temperature immediately after consuming hot or cold fluids (wait 15 minutes).

• Mercury Thermometers:

  • Less common in clinical settings due to mercury content.
  • If using a mercury thermometer, leave it under the tongue for one minute.

Pulse

• Normal range for adults: 60 to 100 beats per minute (BPM).

• Tachycardia: Heart rate above 100 BPM.

• Bradycardia: Heart rate below 60 BPM.

• Common Causes of Tachycardia:

  • Pain.
  • Anxiety.
  • Stress.
  • Hypoxia.
  • Hypotension.

• Pulse Assessment:

  • Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
  • Use the radial artery.
  • Palpate with index and middle fingers, not the thumb (which has its own pulse).

Respirations

• Definition: Number of breaths (inhalations) per minute.

• Normal range: 12 to 20 breaths per minute.

• Bradypnea: Low respiratory rate.

• Tachypnea: High respiratory rate.

• Assessment:

  • Count inhalations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
  • Use the helpful hands technique.

Blood Pressure

• Comprised of systolic and diastolic pressures.

• Systolic:

  • Pressure when the heart contracts.
  • Normal range: 90 to 119.

• Diastolic:

  • Pressure when the heart relaxes.
  • Normal range: 60 to 79.

• Equipment: Sphygmomanometer.

• Vessel used: Brachial artery.

• Cuff Inflation: Inflate to 180.

• Listening for Sounds:

  • First sound: Systolic pressure.
  • Second (disappearance of) sound: Diastolic pressure.