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Vital Signs

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Question
Answer
Body temperature is the difference between __.   the amount of heat produced by body processes and the amount of heat lost to the external environment.  
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Body surface temperatures fluctuate usually within a range of __.   36 °C to 38 °C (96.8 °F to 100.4 °F)  
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The balance between heat lost and heat produced.   Thermoregulation  
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The __ controls heat loss, while the ___ controls heat production.   anterior hypothalamus, posterior hypothalamus  
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Heat production can occur through?   Metabolism, Shivering, and Excessive muscle activity (as seen with exercise).  
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Heat loss can occur from?   Radiation, Conduction, Convection, or Diaphoresis and Evaporation.  
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Radiation   Transfer of heat from the surface of one object to the surface of another without direct contact between the two.  
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Conduction   Transfer of heat from one object to another with direct contact.  
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Convection   Transfer of heat away by air movement.  
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Diaphoresis and evaporation   Transfer of heat energy when a liquid is changed to a gas.  
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Celsius to Fahrenheit Formula   C=(F-32 degrees)X.55  
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Name a major disadvantage of a rectal thermometer.   Risk of transferring nosocomial Clostridium infections rectally.  
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Name one disadvantage of a Tympanic Thermometer (ear).   More variability of measurement than other core temperature devices.  
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Which thermometer provides accurate body core temperature?   Tympanic Thermometer  
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Assess for signs and symptoms that may accompany temperature alterations such as __.   Fever, Hyperthermia, Heatstroke, and Hypothermia.  
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In what direction should the nurse pull the pinna of the adult when taking a tympanic temperature?   Up, then backward and out.  
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You remove Mary Helen’s blanket and turn a fan on in the room. By what mechanism will this help lower Mary Helen’s temperature?   Convection – the transfer of heat away by air movement.  
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Vital signs are import indicators of the body's ___.   physiologic status and response to physical, environmental, and psychological stressors.  
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You should always obtain a baseline measurement of vital signs on first contact with a client to provide a means for ___.   comparison with subsequent vital sign measurements.  
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Vital Signs are important indicators of the body’s____.   physiologic status  
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Vital signs consist of ___.   temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.  
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Vital signs reveal sudden changes in a client’s condition, as well as changes that occur ____.   progressively  
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Acceptable Range of Respiration for an adult.   12-20 breaths per minute.  
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Acceptable Range of Heart Rate for an adult.   60-100 beats per minute.  
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Normal SpO2 is ___.   90% to 100%. Between 85% and 89% may be acceptable for certain chronic disease conditions. Less than 85% is considered abnormal.  
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Aortic distention creates a ___ that travels rapidly toward the extremities.   pulse wave  
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The ___ is the palpable bounding of the blood flow.   pulse  
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Pulse rate, rhythm, and strength indirectly evaluate the heart's ___.   cardiac output (CO)  
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The strength or amplitude of a pulse reflects the volume of blood ejected against the arterial wall with each heart contraction, also called ___.   stroke volume (SV)  
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The integrity of peripheral pulses indicates the status of ___ to the area distributed by the pulse.   blood perfusion  
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A decrease in fluid volume will result in an ___ heart rate as the body attempts to increase cardiac output.   increased  
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If the client has been active, wait ___ before assessing the pulse.   5 to 10 minutes  
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Bradycardia is when a client's heart rate ___.   falls below 60 beats per minute.  
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Tachycardia is when a client's heart rate ___.   is above 100 beats per minute.  
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All excessively fast or slow pulses should be counted for ____ rather than 30 seconds multiplied by two.   60 seconds/1 full minute  
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Whenever there is abnormality in rate, rhythm, or amplitude, it is best to take an ___.   apical pulse  
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The ___ of the stethoscope is best for transmitting an apical pulse, since the pulse is a high-pitched sound.   diaphragm  
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The ___ is best for transmitting low-pitched sounds, so it is used for other assessments such as detecting heart murmurs.   bell  
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An inefficient contraction of the heart that does not transmit a pulse wave to the peripheral pulse site creates a ___.   pulse deficit.  
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The pulse deficit reflects the number of ____ in 1 minute.   ineffective cardiac contractions  
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The mechanism of ___ exchanges oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) between cells of the body and the atmosphere.   respiration  
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Ventilation   Mechanical movement of gases into and out of the lungs.  
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Diffusion   Movement of O2 and CO2 between the alveoli and the red blood cells.  
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Perfusion   Distribution of red blood cells to and from the pulmonary capillaries.  
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You directly assess ventilation by observing the ___ of respiratory movements.   rate, depth, and rhythm.  
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Expiration is an active process only during __.   exercise, voluntary hyperventilation, and certain disease states.  
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Orthopnea   Labored breathing that occurs when lying flat and is classic symptom of left ventricular heart failure. Rapid resp. rate.  
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______ (position) promotes full ventilation movement and lung expansion.   Standing or sitting erect  
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Decreased ___ levels lower the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, which results in increased respiratory rate to increase oxygen delivery.   hemoglobin  
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Pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) less than ___ is often accompanied by changes in respiratory rate, depth, and rhythm.   85%  
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CBC measures red blood cell count, volume of red blood cells, and concentration of hemoglobin, which reflects the client's capacity to carry __.   O2  
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Hemoglobin values   Males: 14 to 18 g per 100 mL and Females: 12 to 16 g per 100 mL.  
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Hematocrit values   Males: 40% to 54% and Females: 38% to 47%.  
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Red blood cell count   Males: 4.6 to 6.2 million per mm3 and Females: 4.2 to 5.4 million per mm3.  
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Human pH values   7.35 to 7.47  
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Arterial carbon dioxide saturation   35 – 45 mm Hg.  
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Cheyne-Stokes   Varying periods of increasing breathing depth interspersed with apnea.  
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Kussmaul's   Rapid, deep, labored breathing  
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Systolic   The force exerted against he wall of the artery when the ventricles contract.  
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Diastole is a ___ process.   passive  
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The five different sounds heard over an artery are called ___ phases.   Korotkoff  
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The difference between ____ pressure is called the pulse pressure.   systolic and diastolic.  
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Hypertension is defined as systolic BP (SBP) of ____, diastolic BP (DBP) of ___ or greater.   40 mm Hg or greater, 90 mm Hg  
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Hypotension is generally considered present when the systolic BP falls to ___ or below.   90 mm Hg.  
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Orthostatic hypotension, also referred to as postural hypotension, occurs when ___.   a normotensive person develops symptoms (e.g., light-headedness or dizziness) and low BP when rising to an upright position.  
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A noninvasive method of estimating arterial blood oxygen saturation by measuring oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood.   Pulse oximetry - a light-emitting diode (LED), two wavelengths of light determine oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.  
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When arterial oxygen tension falls below ___, oxygen saturation falls.   50 mm Hg  
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To prevent ___, you should assess the skin integrity underneath the probe used for continuous monitoring every 2 hours.   tissue ischemia  
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Why is it necessary to take vital signs preoperatively?   To use for comparison during and after surgery and make sure client is not experiencing any complications such as a high fever that may contraindicate surgery or require intervention.  
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Average body temperature approximately ___.   36 °C (96.8 °F)  
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The apical pulse it taken at the __   .5th Intercostal Space (ICS) at the left Mid-Clavicular line (MCL).  
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Bradypnea—rate is regular but less than __ breaths per minute.   12  
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Tachypnea—rate is regular but greater than __ breaths per minute.   20  
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Hyperpnea—respiration is __ than normal, usually during exercise.   deeper  
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Kussmaul's—deep regular respiration, common with ___.   diabetics  
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Respiratory rate may increase when the client is in pain, but breathing becomes ___.   shallow  
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Repeating a BP too quickly will result in a false ___ reading. Wait 1 to 2 minutes to repeat a measurement, or measure the pressure in the opposite arm.   high systolic  
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The ___ controls body temperature the same way a thermostat works in the home.   hypothalamus  
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When nerve cells in the __ hypothalamus become heated beyond the set point, impulses are sent out to reduce body temperature.   anterior  
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How does hypothalamus reduce body temperature?   Induces sweating, vasodilation , and inhibition of heat production.  
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How does posterior hypothalamus induce heat conservation?   Vasoconstriction, shivering.  
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BMR   Basal metabolic rate – depends on body surface area and accounts for the heat produced by body at absolute rest.  
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What hormone affects BMR?   Thyroid – promotes breakdown of glucose and fat and increases chemical rxn in body cells.  
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Shivering increases body heat production by __.   4-5 times greater than normal.  
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Applying an ice pack to lower body temperature is what kind of heat loss?   Conductive heat loss.  
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Peripheral vasodilation increases blood flow from the internal organs to the skin to increase heat loss. What kind of heat loss is this?   Radiation/radiant heat loss.  
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Diaphoresis is what kind of heat loss?   Evaporation  
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Which population is at most risk of heat loss or gain due to behavioral control?Infants and older adults.   (blank)  
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What factors affect body temp?   Age, exercise, hormone level, circadian rhythm, environment, and temperature alteration (fever, hyperthermia, heatstroke, hypothermia).  
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Pyrexia   Fever  
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A fever is usually not harmful if it says below __.   39 C (102.2 F)  
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Pyrogens   bacteria and viruses that act as antigens and trigger immune system responses.  
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When a fever breaks, a client becomes __.   afebrile  
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During a febrile episode, white blood cell production is __.   stimulated  
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Increased temp reduces concentration of ___ in the blood.   iron  
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The duration and degree of fever depends on what 2 factors?   Pyrogen’s strength and the ability of the individual to respond.  
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Myocardial hypoxia produces __.   angina (chest pain)  
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Cerebral hypoxia produces __.   confusion  
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Why is oxygen therapy important during a fever?   Because increased metabolism requires addition oxygen, leaving possibility open for hypoxia.  
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Heat exhaustion occurs when __.   profuse diaphoresis results in excess water and electrolyte loss.  
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At what temp does a client suffer uncontrolled shivering?   35 C or 95 F.  
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At what temp does skin become cyanotic?   34.4 C or 94F – heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure fall.  
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ICU measures what temperature in clients?   Core – through continuous invasive devices placed in body cavities or organs.  
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Temporal artery measurements detect temp of?   Cutaneous blood flow.  
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How long must you wait for an oral temperature is someone has eaten?   20-30 minutes  
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What are 2 internal temperature sites?   Pulmonary artery and bladder  
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Antipyretic   Drugs that reduce fever.  
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How do nonsteroidal drugs like acetaminophen reduce fever?   through increasing heat loss.  
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The pulse is a __.   palpatable place on the body in which to measure heart beat.  
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Electrical impulses for the pulse originate from where?   the Sinoatrial (SA) node.  
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What is cardiac output?   Volume pumped by the heart in 1 minute.  
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If CO is low, pulse will be?   weaker or more difficult to palpate  
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If CO is high, pulse will be stronger, “bounding”.   (blank)  
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What factors regulate ventricular contraction and stroke volume?   Mechanical, neural and chemical factors.  
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Where is the brachial pulse?   Grove between biceps and tricepts muscles at antecubital fossa.  
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Where is the carotid pulse?   Along medial edge of sternocleidomastoid mucle in neck.  
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Where is the Posterior tibial pulse?   Inner side of ankle, below medial malleolus.  
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Where is the Dorsalis pedis pulse?   ”Pedal Pulse” – Along top of foot, between extension tendons of great and first toe.  
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Which pulses are easiest to palpate?   radial or carotid arteries  
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Where is PMI (point of maximal Impulse) in an adult?   Apical impulse – at the apex of heart.  
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Pulse deficits are often associated with ___.   abnormal rhythms.  
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A __ threatens the heart’s ability to provide adequate cardiac output, particularly if it occurs respectively.   dysrhythmia  
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To document a dysrhythmia, a __ is needed.   electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, or telemetry.  
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Peripheral resistance   Determined by vasculature tone – how elastic.  
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Name factors that influence blood pressure.   Age, stress, ethnicity, gender, daily variation, medications, activity, weight, smoking.  
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Stage 2 hypertension occurs above __.   160 systolic or 100 diastolic.  
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Assessment of BP and pulse evaluates __.   the general state of cardiovascular health.  
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What does a drop in respiration after a head injury indicate?   significant injury to the brain stem.  
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What can abdominal trauma due to affect respiration?   damage phrenic nerve which is responsible for diaphragmatic contraction.  
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The usual range of respiratory rate __ throughout life.   declines  
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Biot’s respiration   Abnormally shallow for 2-3 breaths, followed by apnea periods.  
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What affects Sa02?   Factors that interfere with ventilation, perfusion, or diffusion.  
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Why is SvO2 lower?   Because tissues have removed some of the oxygen from hemoglobin molecules.  
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What is typical value of Sv02?   70%.  
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What determines hematocrit?   Percentage of RBCs in blood.  
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What is preferred position for blood pressure?   sitting  
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Client's temperature is 36.1° C (97° F) and remaining vital signs are in the normally acceptable range. What should the nurse do next?   If everything seems satisfactory, the nurse should chart the temperature and check the client for signs of hypothermia.  
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The ___ are usually used to assess a client in shock.   carotid or femoral pulses  
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The ___ pulse gives the nurse the most information and accuracy when assessing irregular cardiac rhythm.   apical  
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With a fever, therapies such as tepid water or alcohol sponge baths should be avoided because they lead to ___, which stimulates body heat.   shivering  
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___ respiration is an irregular respiratory rate and depth w/alternating periods of apnea and hyperventilation; it begins with slow breaths and climaxes in apnea before respiration resumes.   Cheyne-Stokes  
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