vital sign review

When should the EMT use the pulse oximeter?

• Only if the patient has a history of lung disease

• Only on patients complaining of shortness of breath

• Routinely on all patients with a medical or trauma complaint

• On any and all patients 1 year of age and older

Which one of the following statements concerning assessment of the pulse is correct?

• “A brachial pulse should be felt first in any patient under 6 years of age.”

• “The heart rate can be determined by doubling the number of beats counted in 30 seconds.”

• “To get the most accurate rate, the EMT should place a stethoscope over the pulse site and count the number of beats in 1 minute.”

• “After much experience, an EMT can estimate the pulse rate by just feeling it for a few seconds.”

During the primary assessment of a geriatric patient complaining of shortness of breath and fever, you quickly locate the radial pulse. What should you do next?

• Determine the rate and quality of the pulse.

• Assess the patient’s breathing.

• Obtain a blood pressure.

• Establish the patient’s level of consciousness.

A mother has called 112 because her 2-year-old daughter is fussy and not eating. When assessing the toddler, which one of the following is the best indication of her perfusion status?

• Skin color and temperature

• Auscultation of breath sounds

• Heart rate

• Palpated blood pressure

When assessing a patient’s pulse, you can locate the right radial pulse, but not the left. Which one of the following is the most likely explanation for this finding?

• There is a problem with the patient’s veins.

• The left radial artery may be occluded.

• The patient is in the early stage of cardiac arrest.

• The left radial artery is extremely large.

The EMR recognizes which one of the following heart rates (beats per minute) as normal for a 24-year-old male?

• 54

• 110

• 62

• 124

Correctly assessing orthostatic vital signs involves:

• determining if the patient’s respirations and heart rate are within normal limits.

• taking the blood pressure and heart rate three times, 2 minutes apart.

• determining if the patient’s pulse disappears during deep inspiration.

• taking the blood pressure in the supine, seated, and standing positions.

When obtaining blood pressure on a patient in a standing position, the patient states that he suddenly feels weak and is going to pass out. Your immediate action should be to:

• determine the blood pressure by palpation.

• ask the patient if he is having chest pain.

• place the patient back into bed.

• hold the patient upright until the blood pressure is obtained.

An 86-year-old female has called 112 for rectal bleeding. There is a large amount of dark red blood and clots in the toilet and on the patient’s clothing. The Emergency Medical Responder reports a blood pressure of 84/68 mmHg with a heart rate of 124 beats per minute. Given this information, the EMR should recognize:

• diastolic hypertension and risk for stroke.

• normal blood pressure since the patient is alert and oriented.

• narrowed pulse pressure and possible shock.

• normal heart rate given the patient’s age.

Which one of the following patients should the EMR recognize as tachycardic?

• 37-year-old male with a complaint of fatigue and a heart rate of 104

• 24-year-old female with diabetic complications and a heart rate of 54

• 3-year-old female with vomiting and a heart rate of 116

• 86-year-old male with chest pain and a heart rate of 96