Term
| What is the main purpose of performing vital signs on a patient? |
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Definition
| Provide valuable information about a patient's health status. |
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Term
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Definition
| State of equilibrium in the body. |
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Term
| How much body heat is lost through the skin? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Temperature within the body's deep internal structures. |
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Term
| What are the normal body temperature ranges? |
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Definition
| Between 97.5 Deg.F - 99.5 Deg.F (36.4 Deg.C - 37.3 Deg.C) |
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Term
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Definition
| Normal daily cyclic fluctuation in body temperature. |
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Term
| What are some factors that affect body temperature? |
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Definition
| External environment, age, and infection or illness. |
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Term
| What is the medical term for fever? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the three fever patterns? |
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Definition
| Continueous, Intermittent, and Remittent |
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Term
| Continuous (Fever Pattern) |
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Definition
| Fever that fluctuates slightly yet remains consistantly above normal. |
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Term
| Intermittent (Fever Pattern) |
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Definition
| Fever that fluctuates widely between relatively high levels to normal or even subnormal levels. |
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Term
| Remittent (Fever Pattern) |
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Definition
| Fever that fluctuates widely, yet remains above normal until it finally resolves. |
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Term
| Name the five different types of thermometers |
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Definition
| Oral(or rectal) digital, Tympanic, Temporal, Rectal, and Disposable |
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Term
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Definition
| Are no longer used in medical offices. A medical assistant should instruct patients about proper use or disposal(if the thermometer contains mercury.) |
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Term
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Definition
| Are battery operated and portable. Medical asssistants must be sure to replace the batteries regularly.The can be used to measure oral, axillary, or rectal temperature. A disposable cover or sheath is available for these thermometers to keep sanitary and make cleaning inbetween patients unnecessary. |
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Term
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Definition
| (Aural Thermometer) Is a handheld device with a tympanic probe that fits into the outer part of the ear canal. It should be covered with a disposable sheath for sanitary use. This thermometer provides a reading in under 2 seconds. |
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Term
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Definition
| Are available in disposable and reusable versions. They are not always as accurate as other themometers, but are convenient for oral use or the thermometer strips may be pressed to the forehead and read when the colors stop changing (usually within 15 seconds.) |
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Term
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Definition
| Fast, non-invasive method of taking temperature by scanning the thermometer across the forehead over the temporal artery. Disposable covers may be used or disinfectant wipes after every use. |
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Term
| What are the recommended two methods for disinfecting reusable thermometers? |
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Definition
| With 70% isopropyl alcohol or a 1:100 bleach solution |
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Term
| How do you convert Celsius into Fahrenheit? |
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Definition
| Deg.F = (Deg.C x 1.8) + 32 |
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Term
| How do you convert Fahrenheit into Celsius? |
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Definition
| Deg.C = (Deg.F - 32) / 1.8 |
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Term
| What fators affect pulse? |
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Definition
| Age, sex, exercise habits, emotional state, pregnancy, metabolic conditions, medications, fever, Arrythmia, Hypertension, and dehydration. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Any area where the pulse can be felt by pressing a superficial artery against a bone. |
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Term
| Why might a pulse point be palpated? |
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Definition
| To evaluate circulation or to count heart rate, or in cases of hemorrhage, the pulse point can be compressed to help control bleeding. |
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Term
| Name the common pulse points |
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Definition
| Temporal, Carotid, Brachial, Radial, Apical, Femoral, Popliteal, Dorsalis, Pedis, and Posterior Tibialis |
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Term
| Where are the Temporal and Carotid pulse points located? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where are the Brachial and Radial pulse points located? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where are the Femoral and Popliteal pulse points located? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where are the Dorsalis Pedis and Posterior Tibial pulse points located? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the Carotid artery used for? |
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Definition
| One of the strogest pulses in the body, easily accessible, used to asses a patient's circulation during cardiopulmonay resuscitation(CPR), use just enough pressure to feel the pulse without occluding blood flow. Only palpate one side at a time. |
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Term
| What is the Brachial pulse point used for? |
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Definition
| This site is used to messure blood pressure, and it is palpated to asses pulse during infant CPR. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation |
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Term
| What is the radial pulse point used for? |
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Definition
| Often palpated for medical assistance to record Pulse Rate. |
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Term
| What is the Apical pulse point used for? |
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Definition
| May be used to palpate the point of maximal impulse(PMI), may also be used to check for a pulse deficit. |
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Term
| What does respiration involve? |
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Definition
| The movement of air into and out of the lungs so that gas exchange can occur. |
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Term
| What is the main stimulous for breathing? |
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Definition
| Lowered pH levels of the blood caused by Carbon Dioxide buildup. |
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Term
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Definition
| Movement of air into and out of the lungs. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are some factors that affect respiration? |
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Definition
| Severe pain, fever, emotions, physical exertion, illness, and conditions that cause acidosis and alkalosis. |
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Term
| What is the best way to measure respiration? |
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Definition
| When the patient is unaware, after taking pulse measurement, continue to hold patients wrist as if counting pulse rate, observe your watch as well as the patients chest. This way the patient does not self-consciously alter their breathng pattern. |
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Term
| What are the three major charicteristics of respiration? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Count the respiratory rate in breaths per minute. One breath includes inspiration and experation. |
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Term
| What is the normal respiration rate for adults? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormally slow breathing. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Condition in which the individual stops breathing for short periods of time while sleeping, due to temporary obstruction of the upper airway. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormally rapid breathing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Increased ventilation resulting in a higher blood pH. |
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Term
| What is a normal respiratory pattern described as? |
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Definition
| Even or regular rhythm. This can vary with speech, sighs, yawns, injury, or disease. Breathing in these cases may be more rapid or shallow. |
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Term
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Definition
| Labored or difficult breathing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease |
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Term
| How may depth of respiration be described? |
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Definition
| Varies with physical activity and may be described normal, deep, or shallow. |
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Term
| What does a blood pressure represent? |
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Definition
| It reflects the pressure exerted against arterial walls by blood and recorded as a fraction. Systolic/Diastolic pressure. |
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Term
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Definition
| The top numbers, indicates the highet pressure, or tension, exerted against arterial walls during ventricular contraction. |
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Term
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Definition
| The lower numbers represents the lowest pressure exerted against the arterial walls when the heart is at rest between contractions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Difference between systolic and diastolic pressures and should be 30 to 50mm Hg. |
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Term
| What is the ideal blood pressure for adults? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| A sustained blood pressure above 140/90. |
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Term
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Definition
| A sustained blood pressure below 90/60. |
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Term
| What are some modifiable risk factors for hypertension? |
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Definition
| Exercise habits, tobacco use, weight, stress levels, diet, and alcohol intake. |
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Term
| What are some non-modifiable risk factors for hypertension? |
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Definition
| Age, gender, and genetics. |
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Term
| How long should a MA wait before repeating a blood pressure measurement? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are some factors that affect blood pressure? |
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Definition
| Emotions, severe pain, exercise, fluid volume deficit, sudden position change, and some medications. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The sound heard when listening to blood pressure. |
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Term
| Explain Phase I of the Korotkoff sounds |
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Definition
| Is the first sound heard, usually a sharp tapping sound, may begin faintly and progressively grow louder. This is recorded as the Systolic pressure. |
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Term
| Explain Phase II of the Korotkoff sounds |
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Definition
| Sound is more quiet and muffled and may disappear completely. The needle may continue to drop another 30mm Hg or so before the sound returns. |
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Term
| Explain Phase III of the Korotkoff sounds |
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Definition
| Occurs as the sound reappears(if it disappeared) or becomes louder and more crisp. The sound continues in a rhythmic pattern. |
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Term
| Explain Phase IV of the Korotkoff sounds |
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Definition
| Begins as the sound becomes softer and fainter and take on a more muffled quality. If the sound continues to zero the point where the sound became more faint should be recorded as the diastole for children. When this change occurs in adults the physician may request three numbers to be recorded, the systolic reading, phase IV, and the diastolic reading. |
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Term
| Explain Phase V of the Korotkoff sound |
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Definition
| Occurs when the sounds completely disappear. this is recorded as the diastolic pressure. |
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Term
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Definition
| Disappearance of tappng sounds during Phase II of a blood pressure measurement. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are normal adult values for oxygen saturation? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Placed on the tip of a patient's finger, or an earlobe probe on an earlobe, and used to measure arterial oxygen saturation. |
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Term
| What are the five main vital signs? |
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Definition
| Blood pressure, Respiration, Pulse Rate, Temperature, Oxygen saturation; the sixth vital sign is pain. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What is the purpose of the physical examination? |
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Definition
| To determine the health of an individual |
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Term
| List at least ten components of the physical examination. |
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Definition
| 1)General Appearance 2) Skin 3) Arms and limbs 4) Head and neck 5) Eyes 6) Ears 7) Mouth and Pharynx 8) Nose 9) Chest and lungs 10) Cardiovascular function |
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Term
| List 6 examination techniques commonly used by the physician during a physical exam. |
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Definition
| 1) Inspection 2) Palpation 3) Percussion 4) Ausculation 5) Mensuration 6) Manipulation |
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Term
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Definition
| Gathering information about the patient through observation |
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Term
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Definition
| Involves examination of the patient's external body through touch with the hands and the pads of the fingers |
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Term
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Definition
| Involves tapping on the body structures with the finger or a small hammer to note the sound elicited. |
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Term
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Definition
| Listening to body sounds through a stethoscope |
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Term
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Definition
| Various body measurements |
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Term
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Definition
| Application of hands-on techniques to assess joint symmetry and note passive range of motion |
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Term
| Describe the MA's role in preparing the examination room. |
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Definition
| Ensure that the examination supplies and equipment are ready, organized, and close at hand and are restocked or disinfected between patients. |
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Term
| Name 7 positions that the MA may be asked to place a patient in. |
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Definition
| 1) Sims postion 2) Lithotomy 3) Supine 4) Dorsal Recumbent 5) Semi-Fowlers 6) Fowler 7) Trendelenburg |
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Term
| How do you convert pounds to kilograms? |
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Definition
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Term
| How do you convert kilograms to pounds? |
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Definition
| Kilograms multiplied by 2.2 |
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