Vital Signs 101

Blood pressure Blood pressure is the measure of the stretch inside the walls of the vessels Remember about putting your finger over the hose- what happens to the water pressure? What happens to the hose? Smaller lumen yields higher pressure

Blood pressure What we eat cheese burgers, drink sugary sodas, and pizza regularly, fat forms in the arteries, and vessels called plaque. The plaque calcifies and becomes hard and makes the vessel narrow the lumen, or the passage way for blood. If we eat high fiber, and low fat, we do not build plaque

blood pressure Blood pressure is made up of 2 numbers 1. systolic= the squish or contraction of the heart 2. diastolic= the relax of the heart If the heart has to work hard to squish because the pressure in the vessels is blocking blood flow, then the heart cannot relax as well between beats

Blood pressure The equipment you will need to gather to take a blood pressure will be: 1. a stethoscope 2. a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) sphyg--Greek blood/throb

Blood pressure Wait a minute! considerations! to avoid faulty measurements--- BP higher if exercise, smoking or ‘cokes’ before the BP check. Contraindication for BP??--arm bruising/wound/swelling /fistula/abnormality or kidney dialysis or breast surgery. Step one- always wash your hands Step two- introduce yourself, and explain the procedure Step three- visualize the arrow on the cuff, and aim the arrow at the brachial artery after you palpate the pulse at the brachial site Step four tighten the cuff approx 2 inches above antecubital area and be able to place 2 fingers inside the cuff Step five, place your stethoscope diaphragm over the brachial pulse area

Blood pressure Step 6 position the dial where you can see it Step 7 clamp the air valve on the pump, and begin pumping air in to the cuff until you reach 180 on the dial- note you can go higher if patient has a history of HTN Step 8- slowly release the valve until you hear the first audible sound. Note, the dial may start ticking, but do not count the systolic number until you hear the sound

Blood pressure Step 9- note the top or systolic number and continue to release the air valve until the sound either drops to a quiet distant sound or stops abruptly. This will be the diastolic number Step 10 record your findings.

Blood pressure Remember, you are a student, and do not have authority to diagnose. If a patient asks you about your findings, you will refer them to their physician, Dr. Pate, Nurse Hoffman or Nurse Browlee. Thanks for your attention we are happy to serve….

Temperature normal is 98.6F (97.8-99F) why fever?(pyrexia) body assumes bacterial infection and rasies temp to ‘fry’bateria when to worry? hit 104F orally
Temperature can be taken by mouth using either the classic glass thermometer, or the more modern digital thermometers that use an electronic probe to measure body temperature. rectally
Temperatures taken rectally (using a glass or digital thermometer) tend to be 0.5 to 0.7ｰ F higher than when taken by mouth. axillary
Temperatures can be taken under the arm using a glass or digital thermometer. Temperatures taken by this route tend to be 0.3 to 0.4ｰ F lower than those temperatures taken by mouth. by ear(tympanic)
A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the ear drum, which reflects the body's core temperature (the temperature of the internal organs). by skin
A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the skin on the forehead.