Patient Vital Signs and Assessment Flashcards
6 cards from real NCMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Patient Vital Signs and Assessment flashcards as text
An infant's heart rate is 145 beats per minute. How should this be interpreted?
Answer: This is normal for an infant
Normal infant heart rate ranges from approximately 80–160 bpm (varying by age and activity). A resting rate of 145 bpm is within the normal range for an infant and should not be considered abnormal.
What does the term 'orthostatic hypotension' mean, and how is it assessed?
Answer: A drop in systolic BP of ≥20 mmHg or diastolic ≥10 mmHg upon standing, assessed by sequential measurements lying/sitting/standing
Orthostatic (postural) hypotension is defined as a fall in systolic BP ≥20 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥10 mmHg within 3 minutes of standing. It is assessed by measuring BP and HR supine, then after standing for 1–3 minutes.
Which auscultatory sounds indicate the systolic and diastolic blood pressure when using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope?
Answer: The first Korotkoff sound (first tap) indicates systolic; the last Korotkoff sound (sound disappears) indicates diastolic
Korotkoff sounds are the sounds heard during manual BP measurement. Phase 1 (first Korotkoff sound — a clear tapping) corresponds to systolic pressure; Phase 5 (last Korotkoff sound — sound disappears) corresponds to diastolic pressure.
What is the purpose of measuring the apical pulse (apical rate) versus the radial pulse?
Answer: The apical pulse is measured to detect pulse deficit when the radial pulse is weak, irregular, or when administering cardiac medications
The apical pulse (measured with a stethoscope at the cardiac apex) detects each heartbeat directly. Pulse deficit (apical rate higher than radial rate) occurs in atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias where some beats are too weak to reach the periphery.
A patient's temperature is 96.0°F (35.6°C). Which condition does this indicate, and what should the medical assistant do?
Answer: Hypothermia; report to the physician immediately and reassess with a core temperature measurement
A temperature of 96.0°F (35.6°C) is below normal and meets criteria for mild hypothermia (<97.7°F / <36.5°C in clinical definitions). This should be reported to the physician and confirmed with a more reliable measurement.
When documenting vital signs in the electronic health record (EHR), which information is MOST important to include beyond the numerical values?
Answer: Date, time, route of measurement (for temperature), patient position (for BP), and any patient-reported symptoms at the time
Complete vital sign documentation includes the values plus contextual information: date/time, temperature measurement route (oral, axillary, etc.), blood pressure arm and position, and any patient complaints or relevant clinical context observed.