Taking Vital Signs MD0531

DEVELOPMENT
ADMINISTRATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
LESSON 1
	1-1. WHAT ARE "VITAL SIGNS"?
	1-2. INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND SAMPLE HISTORY
	1-3. ESTABLISH PATIENT CONTACT
	1-4. ASSESSING THE SKIN
	1-5. ASSESSING LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS
	1-6. SAMPLE HISTORY
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS
LESSON 2
	Section I. GENERAL INFORMATION
		2-1. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE PATIENT'S TE
		2-2. WHAT IS A "NORMAL" TEMPERATURE?
		2-3. WHY IS "NORMAL TEMPERATURE" GIVEN AS A RANGE?
		2-4. HOW IS A PERSON'S BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATED?
		2-5. WHAT CAUSES ABNORMAL TEMPERATURES?
	Section II. THERMOMETERS
		2-6. HOW IS A PERSON'S TEMPERATURE DETE
		2-7. HOW DOES A GLASS THERMOMETER WORK?
		2-8. HOW DO I READ A GLASS THERMOMETER?
		2-9. WILL A TEMPERATURE GO DOWN BEFORE IT IS READ?
		2-10. WHY ARE GLASS THERMOMETERS SHAKEN DOWN?
		2-11. HOW DO I "SHAKE DOWN" A GLASS THERMOMETER?
		2-12. HOW DOES AN ELECTRIC THERMOMETER WORK?
		2-13. HOW DO I READ AN ELECTRIC THERMOMETER?
	Section III. TAKING TEMPERATURES
		2-14. WHAT PARTS OF THE BODY ARE USED IN DETERMININGTEMPERATURE?
		2-15. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORAL THERMOMETER AND ARECTAL THERMOMETER?
		2-16. WILL I GET THE SAME TEMPERATURE READINGS FOR ORAL, AXILLARY,AND RECTAL TEMPERATURES?
		2-17. WHEN SHOULD I TAKE AN ORAL TEMPERATURE?
		2-18. HOW DO I TAKE AN ORAL TEMPERATURE WITH A GLASSTHERMOMETER?
		2-19. HOW DO I TAKE AN ORAL TEMPERATURE WITH AN ELECTRICTHERMOMETER?
		2-20. WHEN SHOULD I TAKE A RECTAL TEMPERATURE?
		2-21. HOW DO I TAKE A RECTAL TEMPERATURE WITH A GLASSTHERMOMETER?
		2-22. HOW DO I TAKE A RECTAL TEMPERATURE WITH AN ELECTRICTHERMOMETER?
		2-23. WHEN SHOULD I TAKE AN AXILLARY TEMPERATURE?
		2-24. HOW TO TAKE AN AXILLARY TEMPERATURE?
		2-25. HOW ARE GLASS THERMOMETERS DECONTAMINATED?
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS
LESSON 3
	PULSE
		3-1. WHAT IS A PULSE?
		3-2. WHAT IS PULSE RATE?
		3-3. WHAT FACTORS ARE NOTED WHEN TAKING A PATIENT'S PULSE?
		3-4. WHICH ARTERY IS PALPATED WHEN A PULSE IS TAKEN?
		3-5. HOW DO I TAKE A PATIENT'S PULSE?
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS
LESSON 4
	BREATHING
		4-1. WHAT IS BREATHING?
		4-2. WHAT CAUSES BREATHING TO OCCUR?
		4-3. WHAT IS A BREATHING RATE?
		4-4. WHAT FACTORS ARE NOTED WHEN TAKING A PATIENT'SBREATHING RATE AND QUALITY?
		4-5. HOW DO I ASSESS A PATIENT'S BREATHING RATE AND QUALITY?
		4-6. WHY SHOULD THE PATIENT BE UNAWARE THAT I AM ASSESSING HISBREATHING RATE AND QUALITY?
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS
LESSON 5
	BLOOD PRESSURE
		5-1. WHAT IS BLOOD PRESSURE?
		5-2. WHAT ARE SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC PRESSURES?
		5-3. WHAT FACTS AFFECT A PERSON'S BLOOD PRESSURE?
		5-4. WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED TO MEASURE A PATIENT'S BLOODPRESSURE?
		5-5. HOW DOES THE AIR PRESSURE INSIDE THE BLADDER PROVIDEINFORMATION ABOUT THE BLOOD PRESSURE?
		5-6. HOW DO I TAKE A PATIENT'S BLOOD PRESSURE?
		5-7. CAN I TAKE A PATIENT'S BLOOD PRESSURE WITHOUT ASTETHOSCOPE?
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS
LESSON 6
	RECORDING VITAL SIGNS
		6-1. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FORMS ON WHICH VITAL SIGNS ARERECORDED?
		6-2. HOW IS A DA FORM 3950 COMPLETED?
		6-3. HOW IS VITAL SIGNS INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM A SF 511?
	EXERCISES
	SOLUTIONS