Vital Signs

1. An elevation of the body temperature above normal is labeled a. pyrexia b. hypothermia c. hypertension d. afebrile Answer: The correct answer is A. Pyrexia is an elevation of body temperature 2. For which of the following patients would you use an oral thermometer? a. 6-month-old infant b. Patient receiving oxygen therapy c. A 42 yr. old healthy woman d. Unconscious patient Answer: The correct answer is C. 3. Insertion of a rectal thermometer may cause a potentially harmful condition. This condition is a. an increase in heart rate b. a decrease in heart rate c. an involuntary loss of stool d. an increase in respirations Answer: The correct answer is B. insertion of rectal thermometer may stimulate the vagus nerve, which in turn, would decrease heart rate 4. While taking an adult patients pulse, a student finds the rate to be 140 beats/min. what should the student do next? a. Check the pulse again in 2hours. b. Check the blood pressure c. Record the information d. Report the rate Answer: The correct answer is D. a rate of 140 in an adult is an abnormal pulse, and should be reported to the instructor or the nurse in charge of the patient 5. The apical pulse is assessed by using a. sphygmomanometer b. electronic thermometer c. stethoscope d. Doppler apparatus Answer: The correct answer is C. The apical pulse can only be assessed by listening with a stethoscope 6. A patient complains of severe abdominal pain, when assessing the vital signs, the nurse would not be surprised to find a. an increase in the pulse rate b. a decrease in body temperature

c. a decrease in blood pressure d. an increase in body temperature Answer: The correct answer is A. the pulse often increases when an individual experience pain. 7. The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates is called the a. pulse deficit b. pulse amplitude c. ventricular rhythm d. heart arrhythmia Answer: The correct answer is A. The difference between apical and radial pulse rate is called pulse deficit 8. The normal respiratory rate in adults is considered to be a. 1-6 breaths/ min b. 12-20 breath/ min c. 60/80 breath/min d. 100-120 breath/ min Answer: The correct answer is B. the normal respiratory rate for adults is 12-20 breaths/ min 9. A patient is having dyspnea. To facilitate respiration, the nurse would a. remove pillows from under the bed b. elevate the head of the bed c. elevate the foot of the bed d. take the blood pressure Answer: The correct answer is B. Elevating the head of the bed allows the abdominal organs to descend giving the diaphragm greater room for expansion and facilitating lung expansion 10. Blood pressure is the measurement of the a. flow of blood through the circulation b. force of blood against arterial walls c. force of blood against venous walls d. flow of blood through the heart Answer: The correct answer is B. Blood pressure is the measurement of the force of blood against arterial walls. 11. With aging, blood pressure is often higher due to a. loss of muscle mass b. changes in exercise and diet c. decreased peripheral resistance d. decreased elasticity in arterial walls Answer: The correct answer is D. With aging, blood pressure is often higher due to decreased elasticity of arterial walls.

12. A patient has a blood pressure reading 130/90 mm Hg when visiting a clinic. The nurse would recommend a. follow-up measurements of blood pressure b. immediate treatment by a physician c. nothing, because the nurse consider this reading is due to anxiety d. a change in diet and exercise Answer: the correct answer is A. A single blood pressure reading is mildly elevated and not significant, but the measurement should be taken again over time to determine if hypertension is a problem. 13. In recording a blood pressure of 120/180 mm Hg. The 120 represents the a. pulse rate b. diastolic pressure c. systolic pressure d. pulse deficit Answer: The correct answer is C. 120 is the systolic pressure 14. It is important to have the appropriate cuff size when taking the blood pressure. A cuff that is too large or too small may result in a. an incorrect reading b. injury to the patient c. prolonged pressure on the arm d. loss of korotkoff sounds Answer: The correct answer is A. A blood pressure cuff that is not the right size may cause an incorrect reading. 15. A patient has intravenous fluids infusing in the right arm. When taking a blood pressure on this patient, the nurse would a. take the blood pressure in the right arm b. take the blood pressure in the left arm c. use the smallest possible cuff d. report inability to take blood pressure Answer: The correct answer is B. The blood pressure should be taken in the arm opposite the one with the infusion.