CH 12: Vital Signs and Monitoring Devices - Concepts

Question 1

What are vital signs?

Answer 1

Outward signs of what is going on inside the body.

Pulse
Respiration
Skin color, temperature, condition
Pupils
Blood pressure

Question 2

What are you concerned with when taking a patient’s pulse?

Answer 2

Rate and quality

Question 3

What is a normal pulse rate for adults?

Answer 3

60-100 bpm

Question 4

What does a rapid, regular and full pulse indicate?

Answer 4

Exertion
Fright
Fever
High BP
1st stage of blood loss

Question 5

What does a rapid, regular and thready pulse indicate?

Answer 5

Shock

Later stages of blood loss

Question 6

What does a slow pulse indicate?

Answer 6

Head injury
Drugs
Some poisons
Some heart problems
Lack of O2 in children

Question 7

What type of pulse is most concerning for infants or children?

Answer 7

Slow pulse

Question 8

What factors determine pulse quality?

Answer 8

Rhythm and force

Question 9

What are you concerned with when checking a patient’s respiration?

Answer 9

Rate and quality

Question 10

What is normal respiration rate for adults?

Answer 10

12-20 breaths per minute

Question 11

What are the four categories of respiratory quality?

Answer 11

Normal
Shallow
Labored
Noisy

Question 12

What does snoring indicate?

Answer 12

Airway blockage

Question 13

What does wheezing indicate?

Answer 13

Medical problem such as asthma

Question 14

What does gurgling indicate?

Answer 14

Fluids in airway

Question 15

What does crowing (harsh sound with inhale) indicate?

Answer 15

Medical problem that cannot be treated on scene

Question 16

What does pale skin indicate?

Answer 16

Constricted blood vessels - possible blood loss, shock, hypotension, emotional distress

Question 17

What does cyanotic skin indicate?

Answer 17

Lack of O2 - inadequate breathing or heart function

Question 18

What does flushed skin indicate?

Answer 18

Exposure to heat, emotional excitement

Question 19

What does jaundiced skin indicate?

Answer 19

Abnormalities of the liver

Question 20

What does mottled skin indicate?

Answer 20

Occasionally in patients with shock

Question 21

What does cool, clammy skin indicate?

Answer 21

Sign of shock, anxiety

Question 22

What does cold, moist skin indicate?

Answer 22

Body losing heat

Question 23

What does cold, dry skin indicate?

Answer 23

Exposure to cold

Question 24

What does hot, dry skin indicate?

Answer 24

High fever, heat exposure

Question 25

What does hot, moist skin indicate?

Answer 25

High fever, heat exposure

Question 26

What three things do you look for when assessing pupils?

Answer 26

Size
Equality
Reactivity

Question 27

What do dilated pupils indicate?

Answer 27

Fright
Blood loss
Drugs
Rx eye drops

Question 28

What do constricted pupils indicate?

Answer 28

Drugs

Rx eye drops

Question 29

What do unequal pupils indicate?

Answer 29

Stroke
Head/eye injury
Artificial eye
Rx eye drops

Question 30

What does a lack of reactivity in pupils indicate?

Answer 30

Drugs

Lack of O2 to brain

Question 31

What are the three techniques used to measure blood pressure?

Answer 31

Auscultation - stethoscope
Palpation - no stethoscope
BP monitor - machine controlled

Question 32

What is healthy oxygen saturation?

Answer 32

96-100% SpO2 (oxygen saturation)

Question 33

What is a normal blood glucose level?

Answer 33

60-80 mg/dL