Lesson 4 — Vital Signs
All procedural steps, PURPOSE rationales, and topic content below are verbatim from MedCerts HLT420A Storyline modules. Quiz items have been normalized to multiple-choice format with verbatim source rationales. Reference textbook: Niedzwiecki & Pepper, Kinn's The Clinical Medical Assistant, 15th ed., Chapter 5. No outside material added.
- List vital signs and anthropometrics
- Discuss types of thermometers and demonstrate temperature measurement
- Demonstrate proper measurement of pulse, respiration, and blood pressure
- Recall equipment used when obtaining blood pressure
- Classify normal and abnormal vital sign findings
- Explain the process of obtaining a patient's height and weight
- Summarize the medical assistant's responsibilities in obtaining vital signs
Temperature
Goal: To accurately determine and record a patient's temperature using a digital thermometer and tympanic thermometer.
- Patient's record
- Digital thermometer
- Probe covers
- Disposable gloves as appropriate
- Biohazard waste container
- Tympanic thermometer
- Disposable probe covers
- Alcohol wipes
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Assemble the needed equipment and supplies.
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Identify your patient and explain the procedure.Purpose
Identification of the patient prevents errors, and explanations are a means of gaining implied consent and patient cooperation.
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Make sure the patient has not eaten, consumed any hot or cold fluids, smoked, or exercised during the 30 minutes before the temperature is measured.Purpose
The temperature will be inaccurate if hot or cold food or fluids have been consumed or if the patient has exercised within 30 minutes.
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Prepare the probe for use as described in the package directions. Make sure probe covers are always used.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Place the probe under the patient's tongue and instruct the patient to close the mouth tightly without biting down on the thermometer. Help the patient by holding the probe end, or the patient can hold the probe end if that is more comfortable.Purpose
Air seeping into the mouth interferes with an accurate body temperature reading.
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When a beep is heard, remove the probe from the patient's mouth and immediately eject the probe cover into an appropriate biohazard waste container.Purpose
The probe cover is contaminated and must be discarded in a biohazard waste container.
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Note the reading in the LED window of the processing unit.
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Record the reading in the patient's medical record (e.g., Record the date, the time, the temperature taken and your name).Purpose
Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done.
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Sanitize your hands and disinfect the equipment as indicated.Purpose
To observe infection control measures and Standard Precautions.
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Gather the necessary equipment and supplies.
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Clean the probe with an alcohol wipe if indicated.
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Place a disposable cover on the probe.Purpose
To ensure a clean surface and prevent cross-contamination.
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Follow the package directions to start the thermometer.
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Insert the probe into the ear canal far enough to seal the opening. Do not apply pressure. For children younger than age 3, gently pull the earlobe down and back; for patients older than age 3, gently pull the top of the ear (pinna) up and back.Purpose
The external ear must be pulled gently to open the external auditory canal and expose the tympanic membrane for an accurate reading.
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Press the button on the probe as directed. The temperature will appear on the display screen in 1 to 2 seconds.
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Remove the probe, note the reading, and discard the probe cover into a biohazard waste container without touching it.Purpose
The probe cover is contaminated and must be discarded in a biohazard waste container.
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Sanitize your hands and disinfect the equipment if indicated. See the manufacturer's manual for cleaning the probe tip. Many recommend cleaning the probe lens with alcohol wipes.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Record the temperature results (e.g., Document the date, the time, the temperature taken and your name in the patient's health record).Purpose
Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done.
Pulse and Respirations
Goal: To accurately determine and record a patient's radial pulse rate and rhythm and respiratory rate.
- Patient's record
- Watch with a second hand
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Introduce yourself, identify your patient, and explain the procedure.Purpose
Identification of the patient prevents errors, and explanations are a means of gaining implied consent and patient cooperation.
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Place the patient's arm in a relaxed position, palm at or below the level of the heart.Purpose
The patient's radial artery is more easily palpated when the patient is relaxed and in this position.
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Gently grasp the palm side of the patient's wrist with your first two or three fingertips approximately 1 inch below the base of the thumb.Purpose
This position puts your fingertips directly over the radial artery. Press firmly (but do not press too hard, or you will occlude the artery and feel nothing).
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Count the beats for 1 full minute using a watch with a second hand.Purpose
Counting for 1 full minute allows you to obtain an accurate count, including any irregularities in rhythm and volume.
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While continuing to hold the patient's arm in the same position used to count the radial pulse, observe the rise and fall of the patient's chest. If you have difficulty noticing the patient's breathing, place the arm across the chest to detect movement.Purpose
The respiratory count may be altered if the patient is aware that you are counting his or her breaths; placing the arm across the chest allows you to feel or see the rise and fall of the chest wall.
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Inspiration and expiration make up one complete breathing cycle or respiration. Count the respirations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.Purpose
Counting for 30 seconds allows you to obtain an accurate count and determine any irregularities in rhythm or depth or unusual breathing patterns. If respirations are abnormal in any way, count for 1 full minute.
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Release the patient's wrist.
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Record both the radial pulse and respiration counts with any irregularities on the patient's health record (e.g., 5/6/20xx– 8:35 AM: P-72, R-18. C. Ricci, CMA).Purpose
Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done.
Measurement Conversions
Goal: To understand and apply conversion formulas between standard and metric measurement systems for vital signs and anthropometric data.
The clinical medical assistant may need to convert between standard and metric system measurements when collecting anthropometric data, assessing body mass index, and taking body temperature.
Anthropometric data is documented in either standard or metric systems. Converting data from one system to another requires a conversion formula. These conversion formulas aid in documenting body temperature, height, and weight. Conversions may also be used when calculating body mass index, or B-M-I. Even though entry of measurements into the patient's E-H-R will often automate conversions, M-As should have a working knowledge of the formulas used to convert between systems. While not as common, medical assistants still using paper charts will perform these conversions manually.
Anthropometry is the science related to height, weight, and body size. It also considers body proportions, like head circumference. Measurements are used during annual physicals to evaluate overall health and to help make diagnoses.
Pediatric measurements for height, length, and weight are recorded on growth charts. An electronic version is often accessed within the patient's E-H-R. Physicians use this data to evaluate growth and development compared to national standards. Pediatric measurements include height for children and length for infants. These also include specific body proportion measurements to evaluate growth and development. The size of the head is measured at well-child visits to evaluate brain development. Hydrocephaly, or an enlarged cranial cavity, may indicate accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Microcephaly, or a small cranial cavity, is associated with incomplete brain development.
In adults, height is usually measured in feet and inches at annual, well visits. Medical conditions, like osteoporosis, which causes brittle bone, may lead to height loss. Patients with osteoporosis may have their height measured at every visit. There may be times when inches are converted to centimeters, or centimeters to inches. In pediatrics, these measurements are used for head circumference, waist size, and length. To change centimeters to inches, divide centimeters by two-point-five-four. For example, a newborn baby is measured at fifty-one centimeters at birth. To determine length in inches, divide fifty-one by two-point-five-four for a total of twenty inches. If converting inches to centimeters, multiply twenty inches by two-point-five-four for a total of fifty-one centimeters. Standard height measurement is documented in inches, or i-n, and feet, or f-t. There are twelve inches in a foot. To convert inches to feet, divide the total height in inches by twelve. If a patient is sixty-three inches tall, divide sixty-three by twelve for a total of five and one-quarter feet. To convert from feet back to inches, multiply total feet by twelve. Five-point-two-five times twelve equals sixty-three inches. For the patient who is five and one quarter feet tall, multiply height by twelve for a total of sixty-three inches. Metric measurements are documented in centimeters, or c-m, and meters, or m. There are one-hundred centimeters in one meter. To convert centimeters to meters, divide by one hundred. If an adult female patient measures one-hundred-sixty-three centimeters, divide this number by one hundred for a total of one-point-six-three meters. To convert back from meters to centimeters, multiply total meters by one hundred. A patient with a stature of one-point-six-three meters is one-hundred-and-sixty-three centimeters tall.
The patient's weight will be documented because it can be an important indicator of health and wellness. Diabetes and eating disorders can disproportionately impact weight. Fluid retention due to pregnancy or certain cardiovascular diseases may be discovered during a weight check. Weight is measured in pounds, or l-b-s, or kilograms, or k-g. One kilogram equals two-point-two pounds. To calculate the weight in pounds for a patient who weighs sixty kilograms, multiply sixty by two-point-two. To convert one-hundred and thirty-two pounds to kilograms, divide the pounds by two-point-two.
Body mass index, or B-M-I, is used to evaluate weight in adults and children over the age of two. It is used to assess the patient's overall health as it relates to weight. B-M-I is a more accurate predictor of weight-related diseases because it estimates body fat content. A body mass index of nineteen to twenty-two is ideal. Those twenty-five or above fall into the overweight or obese categories, with higher health-related risks. Each patient's individual situation WILL be evaluated by the physician. For instance, a patient's B-M-I can be skewed by increased muscle mass. There are three steps to calculate B-M-I using pounds and inches. First, multiply weight in pounds by seven-hundred-and-three. Then multiply the patient's height in inches by itself. Divide the first answer by the second. For example, take a child who weighs forty-three pounds and is forty-five inches tall. First multiply forty-three by seven-hundred-and-three which equals thirty thousand, two-hundred-and-twenty-nine. Then multiply forty-five by forty-five for a total of two-thousand-and-twenty-five. Finally, divide thirty-thousand, two-hundred-and-twenty-nine by two-thousand-twenty-five for a total B-M-I of fourteen-point-nine-two. This child would fall in the underweight category. To calculate B-M-I for adults and children using the metric system, total kilograms is divided by total height in meters squared. For example, a young adult weighs sixty-eight kilograms and is one-point-six-five meters tall. First, square one-point-six-five meters for a total of two-point-seven-two. Next, sixty-eight is divided by two-point-seven-two for a total of twenty-five. This young adult falls just over the line into the overweight category.
Body temperature is measured in degrees Celsius, or degrees Fahrenheit. There are many determinants of body temperature. Age, gender, stress, and physical activity can impact body temperature. Hormonal changes, as well as external factors like smoking, drinking a hot beverage, or the environment, can influence fluctuations in temperature. To convert degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius, first subtract thirty-two from degrees Fahrenheit, then divide by one-point-eight. For example, a child presents with a fever of one-hundred-point-four degrees Fahrenheit. To convert to degrees Celsius, subtract thirty-two from one-hundred-point-four, which equals sixty-eight-point-four. Then divide sixty-eight-point-four by one-point-eight, which equals thirty-eight. One-hundred-point-four degrees Fahrenheit equals thirty-eight degrees Celsius. To convert degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, multiply degrees Celsius by one-point-eight, then add thirty-two. For example, let's convert a fever of thirty-eight degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit. First multiply thirty-eight by one-point-eight for a total of sixty-eight-point-four. The next step is to add thirty-two, for a total of one-hundred-point-four. Thirty-eight degrees Celsius equals one-hundred-point-four degrees Fahrenheit.
Normal Blood Pressure and Hypertension
Goal: To recognize normal blood pressure values and identify stages of hypertension for patient education and physician notification.
At the request of the physician, the clinical medical assistant may help educate patients on normal blood pressure and the different risk factors and stages of hypertension.
The clinical medical assistant takes a blood pressure, or B-P, readings at the start of the patient's appointment. It is an important vital sign that is an overall indicator of cardiovascular health. It can also be an indicator of other diseases or disease-related risks.
There are three types of hypertension. The most common type is essential, or idiopathic. This type is associated with a family history, obesity, or diet. When a patient develops high blood pressure because of another condition, it is secondary hypertension. Conditions may include kidney disease, pregnancy, or hormone imbalances. Temporary hypertension may be the result of stress, overexertion, or anxiety.
The American Heart Association, or A-H-A, has set stages to assist in both the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. It can occur in both children and adults. Patients with other comorbidities, like diabetes or kidney disease, are at a higher risk of hypertension. Patients of African-American descent, as well as middle-aged and older adults are also at an increased risk.
The clinical M-A should be able to recognize each stage of hypertension in order to alert the physician if necessary when measuring blood pressure. A normal blood pressure has a systolic reading of less than one-hundred-and-twenty millimeters of mercury, or m-m-H-G. In the normal range, the diastolic is less than eighty m-m-H-G. A patient with a systolic of one-hundred-and-sixteen and a diastolic of seventy-two is considered normal. The blood pressure is documented and pronounced as one-hundred-and-sixteen over seventy-two. Only a physician can diagnosis hypertension, but the M-A should be able to note an elevated blood pressure, which is also called prehypertension. In this stage, the systolic is between one-hundred-and-twenty and one-hundred-and-twenty-nine. The diastolic stays below eighty. A blood pressure reading of one-hundred and twenty-six over seventy-nine would be considered elevated. If directed by the physician, the clinical medical assistant can educate the patient and encourage healthy lifestyle changes. Patients should limit salt and alcohol intake, exercise, and lose weight if indicated.
In stage one hypertension, the systolic is between one-hundred-and-thirty and one-hundred-and thirty-nine. The diastolic reading for this stage is between eighty and eighty-nine. A patient with a reading of one-hundred-and-thirty-five over seventy-nine may be diagnosed with stage one hypertension. In addition to lifestyle changes, the physician may place the patient on blood pressure medication. A systolic number above one-hundred and forty is considered stage two hypertension. Similarly, a diastolic number above ninety also falls into stage two hypertension. Lifestyle changes will be highly encouraged along with prescribed medications. The M-A should immediately notify the physician if the patient is in hypertensive crisis. During this stage, the systolic may measure over one-hundred-and-eighty. The diastolic may be over one-hundred-and-twenty. If either number or both is elevated to this extent, the patient is in hypertensive crisis. This is a medical emergency that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and organ damage. Symptoms may include anxiety, blurred vision, chest pain, confusion, headache, shortness of breath, seizure, and more. A hypertensive crisis requires immediate medical care.
Normal blood pressure values vary by age. The average systolic range for a newborn baby is sixty to ninety-six. The diastolic range is thirty to sixty-two. An adult within normal limits has a systolic range of one hundred to one hundred and nineteen. The diastolic ranges from sixty to seventy-nine. From birth through adulthood, the normal range incrementally increases.
Blood Pressure
Goal: To perform a blood pressure measurement that is correct in technique, accurate, and comfortable for the patient.
- Patient's record
- Sphygmomanometer
- Stethoscope
- Antiseptic wipes/alcohol swabs
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Assemble the equipment and supplies needed. Clean the earpieces and diaphragm of the stethoscope with alcohol swabs.Purpose
To follow Standard Precautions.
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Introduce yourself, identify the patient, and explain the procedure.Purpose
Identification of the patient prevents errors, and explanations are a means of gaining implied consent and patient cooperation.
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Select the appropriate arm for application of the cuff (i.e. no mastectomy on that side, no injury or disease). If the patient has had a bilateral mastectomy, the blood pressure should be taken using a large thigh cuff with the stethoscope over the popliteal artery.Purpose
The pressure of the cuff temporarily interferes with circulation to the limb.
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Seat the patient in a comfortable position with the legs uncrossed and the arm resting, palm up, at heart level on the arm of a chair or a table next to where the patient is seated.Purpose
To expose the brachial artery; also, to promote patient relaxation and ensure a true reading.
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Roll up the sleeve to about 5 inches above the elbow or have the patient remove the arm from the sleeve.Purpose
Tight clothing prevents an accurate reading.
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Determine the correct cuff size.Purpose
An incorrect cuff size prevents accurate measurement of blood pressure. The cuff should fit comfortably around the patient's arm, and the bladder should be located over the brachial artery between the lines designated on the cuff. Pediatric, normal adult, and large adult cuff sizes should be available.
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Palpate the brachial artery at the antecubital space in both arms. If one arm has a stronger pulse, use that arm. If the pulses are equal, select the right arm.Purpose
A stronger pulse is easier to measure; the right arm is the universal arm of choice.
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Center the cuff bladder over the brachial artery with the connecting tube away from the patient's body and the tube to the bulb close to the body.Purpose
Pressure must be applied directly over the artery for an accurate reading. The cuff and its tubing should not touch the stethoscope. Noise from the tubing can interfere with a correct reading.
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Place the lower edge of the cuff about 1 inch above the palpable brachial pulse, normally located in the natural crease of the inner elbow, and wrap it snugly and smoothly.Purpose
To help ensure an accurate reading. The cuff should be high enough on the arm that the stethoscope does not touch it, so that cuff sounds do not interfere with listening to the blood pressure sounds.
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Position the gauge of the sphygmomanometer so that it is easily seen.Purpose
An aneroid gauge should show the needle within the zero mark.
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Palpate the brachial pulse, tighten the screw valve on the air pump, and inflate the cuff until the pulse can no longer be felt. Make a note at the point on the gauge where the pulse could no longer be felt. Mentally add 30 mm Hg to the reading.
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Deflate the cuff and wait 15 seconds.Purpose
The point where the brachial pulse is no longer felt provides an estimate of the systolic pressure. Pumping the cuff above that level ensures that phase I of the Korotkoff sounds will be heard.
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Insert the earpieces of the stethoscope turned forward into the ear canals.Purpose
With the earpieces in this position, the openings follow the anatomic line of the ear canal and the blood pressure will be accurately heard.
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Place the stethoscope's diaphragm over the palpated brachial artery for an adult patient or the bell for a pediatric patient.
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Press firmly enough to obtain a seal but not so tightly that the artery is constricted. Only touch the edges of the stethoscope head.Purpose
Forming a seal around the head of the stethoscope aids listening for blood pressure sounds. Placing your fingers directly over the stethoscope head will cause interference with the sound.
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Close the valve and squeeze the bulb to inflate the cuff, rapidly but smoothly, to 30 mm above the palpated pulse level, which was previously determined.
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Open the valve slightly and deflate the cuff at a constant rate of 2 to 3 mm Hg per heartbeat.Purpose
Careful, slow release allows you to listen to all sounds.
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Listen throughout the entire deflation; note the point on the gauge at which you hear the first sound (systolic) and the last sound (diastolic) until the sounds have stopped for at least 10 mm Hg.
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Do not re-inflate the cuff once the air has been released. Wait 30 to 60 seconds to repeat the procedure if needed.Purpose
Not allowing the blood to refill in the brachial artery results in inaccurate readings.
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Remove the cuff from the patient's arm.
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Remove the stethoscope from your ears and record the arm used and the systolic and diastolic readings as BP systolic/diastolic (e.g., 5/19/20– 11 AM: BP 120/80 right arm. C. Ricci).Purpose
Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done.
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The provider may direct the medical assistant to record the blood pressure with the patient in two different positions to determine whether orthostatic hypotension is a factor. To perform this skill: 1. Measure and record the patient's blood pressure (as detailed earlier) while the patient is either supine or sitting. 2. Leave the cuff in place. 3. Have the patient stand, and immediately measure the blood pressure again. 4. Record the second blood pressure and any patient symptoms, such as complaints of (c/o) vertigo or lightheadedness.
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Clean the earpieces and the head of the stethoscope with alcohol and return both the cuff and the stethoscope to storage.
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
Height and Weight
Goal: To accurately weigh and measure a patient as part of the physical assessment procedure.
- Patient's record
- Balance scale with a measuring bar
- Paper towel
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Sanitize your hands.Purpose
To ensure infection control.
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Introduce yourself, identify your patient, and explain the procedure.Purpose
Identification of the patient prevents errors, and explanations are a means of gaining implied consent and patient cooperation.
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If the patient is to remove his or her shoes for weighing, place a paper towel on the scale platform.
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Check to see that the balance bar pointer floats in the middle of the balance frame when all weights are at zero.Purpose
A floating pointer indicates that the scale is properly adjusted and in balance.
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Help the patient onto the scale. Make sure a female patient is not holding a purse and that a male or female patient has removed any heavy objects from pockets.
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Move the large weight into the groove closest to the patient's estimated weight. The grooves are calibrated in 50-lb increments. If you choose a groove that is more than the patient's weight, the pointer will immediately tilt to the bottom of the balance frame. You then must move it back one groove.
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While the patient is standing still, slide the small upper weight to the right along the pound markers until the pointer balances in the middle of the balance frame.Purpose
The pointer floats between the bottom and the top of the frame when both lower and upper weights together balance the scale with the patient's weight.
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Leave the weights in place.
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Ask the patient to stand up straight and to look straight ahead. On some scales, the patient may need to turn with the back to the scale. Leave the elevation bar set.Purpose
To maintain the height recording while protecting the patient from possible injury.
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Assist the patient off the scale. Make sure all items that were removed for weighing are given back to the patient.
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Read the weight scale. Add the numbers at the markers of the large and small weights and record the total to the nearest 1/4 lb. in the patient's health record (e.g., Wt-176 1/2 lb.).
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Record the height. Read the marker at the movable point of the ruler and record the measurement to the nearest 1/4 inch on the patient's medical record (e.g., Ht: 66 1/2 in).
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Use the patient's weight and height to record the BMI if it is not automatically done by the EHR program.
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Return the weights and the measuring bar to zero.
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Sanitize your hands.
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Record the results in the patient's health record (e.g., 5/26/20– 11:07 AM: Wt 176 1/2 lb, Ht 66 1/2 in, BMI 28.5. C. Ricci, CMA).Purpose
Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done.
Knowledge-check items
Click an answer to lock it in — you'll see the rationale below. Reset any time to re-attempt. Items originally formatted as true/false, fill-in-blank, or drag-and-drop have been normalized to multiple choice; the source format is noted in the eyebrow.
L04-01 · Temperature
"Prepare the probe for use as described in the package directions. Make sure probe covers are always used."
Probe covers must always be used to ensure infection control and maintain a clean surface during temperature measurement.
"Sanitize your hands. PURPOSE: To ensure infection control."
Hand sanitization is the first step in any patient care procedure to prevent cross-contamination and maintain infection control standards.
"Procedures that are not recorded are considered not done."
All clinical procedures must be documented in the patient's medical record. If a procedure is not recorded, it is considered as if it was not performed, regardless of whether the procedure actually occurred.
"For children younger than age 3, gently pull the earlobe down and back; for patients older than age 3, gently pull the top of the ear (pinna) up and back."
The external ear canal anatomy differs by age; pulling the earlobe down and back straightens the shorter, more horizontal ear canal in young children, exposing the tympanic membrane for accurate temperature measurement.
L04-02 · Pulse and Respirations
"Place the patient's arm in a relaxed position, palm at or below the level of the heart. PURPOSE: The patient's radial artery is more easily palpated when the patient is relaxed and in this position."
Positioning the palm at or below heart level facilitates proper palpation of the radial artery and ensures accurate pulse assessment.
"Gently grasp the palm side of the patient's wrist with your first two or three fingertips approximately 1 inch below the base of the thumb. PURPOSE: This position puts your fingertips directly over the radial artery."
Placing fingertips one inch below the thumb base positions them directly over the radial artery for accurate pulse palpation.
"Once you become more adept at taking a pulse, you can reduce this to 30 seconds and multiply that number by 2 to record the patient's heart rate."
As proficiency improves, pulse can be counted for 30 seconds and multiplied by 2, rather than the full one-minute count required for initial assessment.
"While continuing to hold the patient's arm in the same position used to count the radial pulse, observe the rise and fall of the patient's chest. If you have difficulty noticing the patient's breathing, place the arm across the chest to detect movement. PURPOSE: The respiratory count may be altered if the patient is aware that you are counting his or her breaths."
Patients may unconsciously alter their breathing if they know respirations are being counted, so keeping the arm in pulse-checking position maintains the illusion of ongoing pulse assessment.
"Inspiration and expiration make up one complete breathing cycle or respiration."
One complete respiration consists of one inhalation (inspiration) and one exhalation (expiration) as a full cycle of breathing.
L04-03 · Measurement Conversions
"Anthropometric data is documented in both the standard and metric systems. Conversion formulas are available to switch between systems if needed."
Anthropometric data can be recorded in either measurement system depending on facility protocols and EHR capabilities.
"Macrocephaly is a larger than normal head circumference when compared to the national standard for similarly aged children. An enlarged cranial cavity may indicate accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid, or a condition called hydrocephaly. Microcephaly is a smaller than normal cranial cavity and may indicate incomplete brain development."
Hydrocephaly is one possible cause of an enlarged head (macrocephaly), but the measurement itself indicates macrocephaly, not hydrocephaly. Hydrocephaly is the underlying condition that may cause the enlarged head.
"Physicians use this data to evaluate growth and development compared to national standards."
Growth charts are a standard tool used by physicians to monitor and assess growth trends and development in pediatric patients.
"One kilogram equals two-point-two pounds. To convert kilograms to pounds, multiply total kilograms by 2.2."
The standard conversion factor for kilograms to pounds is 2.2, making this the basis for all weight conversions between metric and standard systems.
"There are many determinants of body temperature, which include hormonal changes, age, gender, stress levels, physical activity, and environmental factors, like smoking and drinking hot beverages."
Body temperature is influenced by multiple factors beyond hormones, including age, gender, stress, physical activity, and environmental conditions.
L04-04 · Normal Blood Pressure and Hypertension
"In stage one hypertension, the systolic is between one-hundred-and-thirty and one-hundred-and thirty-nine. The diastolic reading for this stage is between eighty and eighty-nine."
A reading of 134/78 falls within Stage 1 Hypertension parameters: systolic between 130-139 mmHg and diastolic below 90 mmHg.
L04-05 · Blood Pressure
"Place the stethoscope's diaphragm over the palpated brachial artery for an adult patient."
The brachial artery located in the antecubital space (inner elbow) is the standard artery used for routine blood pressure measurement in adults.
L04-06 · Height and Weight
"Move the large weight into the groove closest to the patient's estimated weight."
The first step in obtaining an accurate weight is to position the large weight closest to the estimated patient weight, using the 50-lb increment grooves as a starting point.
"The grooves are calibrated in 50-lb increments."
Understanding the calibration of the large weight grooves (50-lb increments) is essential for proper scale use and obtaining accurate weight measurements.
"Add the numbers at the markers of the large and small weights and record the total to the nearest 1/4 lb."
The total weight is determined by adding the readings from both the large weight and small weight markers to obtain the patient's accurate weight.
"Return the weights and the measuring bar to zero."
After recording the patient's measurements, the scale must be returned to zero to prepare it for the next patient and maintain scale accuracy.
"Ask the patient to stand up straight and to look straight ahead. Leave the elevation bar set. PURPOSE: To maintain the height recording while protecting the patient from possible injury."
The height bar is adjusted to just touch the top of the head in the proper standing position to ensure accurate height measurement.