Copyright 2003 by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER 6 FOUNDATION SKILLS.

Copyright 2003 by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

CHAPTER 6

FOUNDATION SKILLS


Health Assessment

• Interview and examination– Interview may include the medical

history, nature of the current complaint, and medication record

– Examination determines functional, cultural, spiritual, and physical characteristics


Vital Signs

• Values used to measure changes in body function, general health, and response to treatment

• Include blood pressure (BP) and temperature, pulse, and respiration (TPR)

• Affected by many factors: age, activity, nutrition, emotion, fitness, medication, and illness


Assessing Vital Signs

• Once a day (qd)• Twice a day (bid)• Three times a day (tid)• Four times a day (qid)• Every 4 hours (q4h)• Every 15 minutes (q15min)


Blood Pressure

• Measurement of the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries as it circulates through the body

• Maximum pressure at which the pulse can be heard is systolic

• Minimum pressure at which it is audible is diastolic


Instruments for Taking Blood Pressure

• Stethoscope amplifies the sound • Sphygmomanometer is an

inflatable cuff that measures pressure using air (aneroid) or mercury


Figure 6-1 Sphygmomanometer and

Stethoscope


Temperature

• The measurement of the balance between the heat produced and lost by the body

• Four methods commonly used to measure temperature– Mouth (oral)– Armpit (axillary)– Rectum (rectal)– Ear (temporal)


Table 6-1 Temperature


Types of Thermometers

• Glass with an expandable mercury filling– Expandable mercury filling– Oral– Rectal

• Electronic • Disposable chemical thermometers


Pulse

• Pulse is the heartbeat that can be felt, or palpated, on surface arteries as the artery walls expand

• The pulse is usually assessed using the radial artery near the wrist

• Normal adult pulse rate can range between 60 and 100 beats per minute

• The pulse of an infant is significantly faster than that of an adult


Table 6-2 Pulse Ranges by Age Group


Respiration

• One respiration includes the inspiration and expiration of a breath

• The rhythm and character of respiration are important observations


Box 6-2 Respiration in Adults


Height and Weight

• Insurance companies determine at which weight for a specific height an individual is predicted to live the longest

• American Heart Association recommends desired weight be considered in relation to other risk factors of heart disease such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels


Physical Assessment

• Inspection is done by using visual and auditory observation

• Auscultation means listening to sounds, often with a stethoscope

• Palpation is using the hands to observe structures by touch

• Percussion is striking the body to assess the sound made


Information Exchange

• Basic math– For medication dosages– Measure time– Temperature– Distance– Capacity (volume)– Mass


Military Time

• A 24-hour system used to measure time

• Hours are numbered from 0 to 24, with noon being 1200

• No need to use the morning (a.m.) and evening (p.m.) designation because there are no times with the same number


Graphing

• Used to interpret data visually• Commonly used to chart vital signs • Four types of graphs include:

– Bar graph– Pie graph– Pictograph– Line graph


Figure 6-11 Types of Graphs


Computer Literacy

• Electronic equipment that stores, manipulates, and retrieves information according to a program

• Components of a computer system– Working space– Hardware– Keyboard– Central processing unit (CPU)– Viewing screen (monitor)– Disk drive– Disks


Medical Terminology

• The vocabulary is based on Latin and Greek roots for common words

• Each word can be divided into parts that are reused to form new terms

• Abbreviations and symbols are used • Physician’s orders


Emergency First Aid

• Immediate care given to the victim of injury or sudden illness

• Certification in first aid is awarded by several accredited agencies– American Red Cross (ARC) – American Heart Association (AHA)

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Copyright 2003 by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER 6 FOUNDATION SKILLS.

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Transcript of Copyright 2003 by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER 6 FOUNDATION SKILLS.