| Question |
Answer |
| What are the four vital signs? |
temperature, pulse, respiration & blood pressure (called TPR & blood pressure) |
| What are the general guidelines that the MA should follow when taking vitals? |
1.be familiar with the normal ranges for all vital signs; 2.make sure that all equipement for measuring vitals is properly working; 3.eliminate or minimize factors that affect the vital signs; 4.use an organized approach when measuring the vital signs |
| Body temperature is maintained within a fairly constant range by the__________ which is located in the____________. |
hypothalamus; brain |
| How is body temperature maintained? |
through a balance of the heat produced in the body and the heat lost from the body |
| Most of the heat produced in the body is through__________and ____________ muscle contraction |
voluntary and involuntary |
| Body heat is also produced by what? |
cell metabolism, fever, and strong emotional states |
| Name four ways heat is lost from the body: |
urine, feces, water vapor from lungs, and persperation |
| What three ways cause loss of heat from the body? |
radiation, conduction, and convection |
| What is radiation? |
the transfer of heat in the form of waves |
| What is conduction? |
the transfer of heat from one object to another (ex: heat from body to something cooler it touches) |
| What is convection? |
the transfer of heat through air currents |
| Normal body temp is between what ranges? |
97-99 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Average temp is what? |
98.6 |
| If a temperature goes above 105.8, it is known as what? |
hyperpyrexia |
| What are different variations in body temperature: |
age, diurnal variations, exercise, emotional states, enviornment, patient's normal body temp, pregnancy |
| What are the three stages of a fever? |
the onset, the course of a fever, the subsiding stage |
| Describe the onset of a fever: |
when the temp begins to rise, may slow or sudden |
| Describe the course of a fever: |
the temp rises and falls in on of the three fever patterns |
| What are the three fever patterns? |
continuous, intermittent, remittent |
| Describe the subsiding stage of a fever: |
temperature returns to normal gradually or suddenly |
| What are the four sites for measuring body temperature? |
maouth, axilla, rectum, ear |
| The site chosen for measuring a patient's temperature depends on what? |
age, condition, state of consciousness, type of thermometer, and office policy |
| __________is the most convenient and most common means for measuring body temp. |
oral temperature |
| The temperature obtained through the _______ method measures approximately 1 degree F lower than that taken orally |
axillary |
| This is a very accurate measurement of body temperature and measures approximately 1 degree F higher than that taken orally |
rectal |
| __________provides instantaneous results |
aural temp |
| Name the three types of thermometers: |
electronic, tympanic membrane, and chemical |
HHS Shrek
