Chapter 37
Vital Signs and Measurements
Multiple Choice Questions
1. | Adult height should be measured to the nearest ____.
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2. | Which of the following is part of the procedure for measuring the weight of an adult?
A. | Placing a disposable towel on the scale |
B. | Asking the patient to step on the back of the scale and lean forward |
C. | Placing the lower weight at the lowest number until the balance indicator drops to the bottom |
D. | Moving the upper weight slowly to the left |
E. | Moving all the weights to the right side to see whether the scale is in balance |
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3. | Which of the following is part of the procedure for weighing a toddler?
A. | Asking the parent to remove the toddler's clothing |
B. | Asking the parent to leave the room |
C. | Weighing the parent holding the toddler |
D. | Measuring the weight to the nearest pound |
E. | Asking the toddler to step on the scale, facing forward |
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4. | Which of the following is considered a normal blood pressure for a healthy adult?
E. | less than 120/less than 80 |
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5. | Which of the following is the normal range for an adult heart rate per minute?
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6. | The normal adult range for respirations per minute is ____.
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7. | Which of the following is the normal range for an infant's heart rate per minute?
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8. | Which of the following is the normal range for respirations per minute in an infant?
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9. | The normal adult oral temperature is ____.
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10. | Which of the following is the most accurate measurement of body temperature?
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11. | Which of the following thermometers provides the least accurate temperature reading?
A. | Disposable thermometers |
B. | Electronic thermometers |
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12. | Which of the following is a temperature of 98.6ºF converted to Celsius?
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13. | Which of the following is important when using a tympanic thermometer?
A. | Shake the thermometer down to a reading between 96.0ºF and 97.0ºF |
B. | Remove the thermometer from the recharging unit and put it in the ear before the light goes on |
C. | Attach a disposable sheath and place the thermometer snugly in the ear |
D. | Pull the ear down and forward for an adult |
E. | Wait at least 15 minutes after a patient has been eating, drinking, or smoking |
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14. | Which of the following is important when measuring an oral temperature?
A. | The patient must be able to breathe through the nose. |
B. | You should place the thermometer on top of the tongue and in the center. |
C. | The patient should hold the thermometer between the teeth. |
D. | You should wait 5 minutes after a patient eats or drinks before taking the temperature. |
E. | You should ask the patient to lie on the left side. |
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15. | Which of the following is important when taking a rectal temperature?
A. | Rinse the thermometer under water before inserting it |
B. | Ask the patient to stand up and bend over |
C. | Insert the thermometer 2 inches into the rectum |
D. | Hold the thermometer in place while taking the temperature |
E. | Use a disposable thermometer |
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16. | Which of the following is important when measuring an axillary temperature?
A. | Have the patient stand up |
B. | Place the middle of the thermometer on the edge of the axilla |
C. | Place the shaft of the thermometer facing forward |
D. | Avoid pressing the patient's upper arm against his side |
E. | Lubricate the thermometer before use |
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17. | Pulse is measured as the number of times the heart beats in ____.
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18. | Respiration is the number of times a patient breathes in ____ seconds.
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19. | The usual ratio of the pulse rate to the respiration rate is ____.
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20. | Which of the following pulse points is located in the groove on the thumb side of the inner wrist?
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21. | The pulse point that is located in the bend of the elbow is called the ____ pulse.
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22. | When taking an infant’s pulse, if the brachial artery cannot be felt, which pulse site would be checked?
A. | Over the apex of the heart |
B. | At the antecubital space |
D. | Over the brachial artery |
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23. | What is the medical term for difficult or painful breathing?
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24. | What is the definition of tachypnea?
C. | Deep or labored breathing |
D. | Difficult or painful breathing |
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25. | The medical term hyperpnea is ____.
B. | difficult or painful breathing |
C. | the absence of breathing |
D. | rapid and deep breathing |
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26. | Which of the following is not an internal factor that affects the blood pressure?
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27. | Which of the following is a true statement concerning mercury sphygmomanometers?
A. | They have a circular gauge for registering pressure. |
B. | They never need to be calibrated. |
C. | They are no longer being manufactured. |
D. | They do not require the use of a stethoscope. |
E. | They are less accurate than electronic sphygmomanometers. |
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28. | Which of the following is a characteristic of aneroid sphygmomanometers?
A. | They have a circular gauge for registering pressure. |
B. | They provide a digital readout of the blood pressure. |
C. | They are least likely to give an accurate reading. |
E. | They are no longer being manufactured. |
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29. | Which of the following is a characteristic of electronic sphygmomanometers?
A. | The mercury rises with an increase in pressure as the cuff is inflated. |
B. | They have a circular gauge for registering pressure. |
C. | They require the use of a stethoscope. |
D. | Some types also measure pulse and oxygen saturation. |
E. | They are the least expensive type of sphygmomanometer. |
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30. | Which of the following is an accurate statement about a stethoscope?
A. | The diaphragm is the cone-shaped side of the stethoscope chestpiece. |
B. | The bell is best at amplifying low-pitched sounds, such as vascular and heart sounds. |
C. | The cone is the larger, flat side of the stethoscope chestpiece. |
D. | For best results, the earpieces should be loosely placed in the ears. |
E. | Earpieces should be angled down and to the rear for best fit. |
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31. | When taking a blood pressure, there are five phases that are heard after the cuff is deflated. These phases are called ____.
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32. | Which of the following is important when putting on a blood pressure cuff?
A. | Place the blood pressure cuff over the patient's sleeve |
B. | Locate the popliteal artery |
C. | Position the cuff so that the midline of the bladder is at the back of the elbow |
D. | Make the bladder of the cuff encircles 50% to 60% the distance around the arm |
E. | Position the cuff so the lower edge of the cuff is 1 inch above the antecubital space |
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33. | Which of the following is important in the palpatory method of obtaining blood pressure?
A. | Inflate the cuff to 50 mmHg |
B. | Increase the pressure by 5 mmHg increments |
C. | Palpate the brachial artery |
D. | Note the level of pressure at which the pulse disappears |
E. | Place the stethoscope over the brachial pulse point |
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34. | Which of the following is correct in the procedure for taking an auscultated blood pressure?
A. | Do not wait to take the blood pressure after completing the palpatory method |
B. | Switch the stethoscope to the bell |
C. | Hold the stethoscope in place with the thumb |
D. | Inflate the cuff to 30 mm Hg above the level determined by palpation |
E. | Record the levels of all five Korotkoff sounds |
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35. | The first tapping sound heard when taking a blood pressure is the ____.
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36. | Which of the following is a special consideration when taking blood pressure in adults?
A. | Always take the blood pressure in the arm that has an implant |
B. | Avoid using any cuff other than the standard adult cuff |
C. | Wait 15 minutes before taking the blood pressure of a patient who has just exercised |
D. | Be aware that the blood pressure tends to be low in anxious patients |
E. | Do not take the blood pressure of a person who is anxious or upset |
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37. | Which of the following means lack of breathing?
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38. | The last tapping sound heard when taking the blood pressure is the ____.
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39. | A patient just had a drink of cold water and you are getting ready to perform the vital signs and measurements. Which would be the best order?
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40. | In addition to obtaining the length and weight of an infant, you will also measure the ____.
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41. | Mrs. Reeves is a 57-year-old patient who was brought to the office because she has been having frequent dizzy spells. In addition to the routine vital signs, which of the following would you expect the physician to ask you to perform for this patient?
B. | Elbow and knee reflexes |
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42. | Nina Trevez is a 32-year-old patient who is new to your medical office. During the initial patient interview, Ms. Trevez says her appendix was removed when she was 10 years old, she had a complete mastectomy of the left breast 5 years ago, and she has a severe allergy to penicillin. Which of the following actions would you be careful to take while taking Ms. Trevez's vital signs?
A. | Include a pain assessment of her abdominal and chest areas |
B. | Check her blood pressure using the right arm |
C. | Avoid using an oral thermometer |
D. | Perform orthostatic vital signs |
E. | Wear a mask to prevent transmission of bacterial diseases |
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43. | Mrs. Young called the medical office because her 6-year-old daughter Mary says she feels ill. Mrs. Young used a disposable thermometer to measure the child’s temperature and found it to be 102.3° Fahrenheit. Which of the following would be the best response to Mrs. Young?
A. | Advise Mrs. Young that the flu is going around; have her give Mary plenty of fluids and call in three days if she does not improve |
B. | Tell Mrs. Young to take Mary immediately to the nearest urgent care center or emergency room for treatment |
C. | Explain that the physician's schedule is full until next Wednesday and ask Mrs. Young if she would like an appointment for Mary then |
D. | Advise Mrs. Young to keep Mary isolated from other children for a minimum of one week to avoid spreading disease |
E. | Make an appointment for Mary this afternoon, and ask Mrs. Young to use a regular oral thermometer to check the temperature again |
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44. | Quint Gardner, a 35-year-old established patient, is in the office for his annual checkup. He says he feels great, and he appears to be in good physical condition. According to office policy, you check his blood pressure using the aneroid sphygmomanometer and his temperature using an axillary thermometer. His vital signs are: BP: 118/88, R: 16, T: 102.4, P: 62. Given these vitals what would the medical assistant’s next step be?
A. | Recheck the blood pressure using an electronic sphygmomanometer |
B. | Ask him to sit quietly for 15 minutes, and then recheck his pulse |
C. | Recheck his temperature using a different type of thermometer |
D. | Ask him if he has had anything cold to drink in the last half hour |
E. | Notify the physician that this patient's temperature is dangerously elevated |
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Fill in the Blank Questions
45. | The measurement on this sphygmomanometer gauge is ________ mm Hg.
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46. | The measurement on this sphygmomanometer gauge is ________ mm Hg.
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47. | The measurement on this sphygmomanometer gauge is ________ mm Hg.
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48. | The measurement on this sphygmomanometer gauge is ________ mm Hg.
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49. | The measurement on this sphygmomanometer gauge is ________ mm Hg.
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50. | A patient is ________ when he has a body temperature within his normal range.
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51. | The pressure measured when the left ventricle of the heart contracts is the ________ pressure, and it is the first heartbeat you hear when taking a blood pressure.
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52. | The ________ pulse is taken over the apex (the lower left corner) of the heart, where the strongest heart sounds can be heard.
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53. | You must ________, or standardize, an aneroid sphygmomanometer frequently to ensure accurate results.
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54. | The absence of respirations is called ________.
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55. | Abnormally rapid, deep, and labored breathing is called ________.
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56. | Difficult or painful breathing is called ________.
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57. | A blood pressure over 140 to 159 mm Hg systolic and 90 to 99 mm Hg diastolic is considered _________ hypertension.
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58. | A systolic reading between 120 and 139 mm Hg and a diastolic reading between 80 and 89 mm Hg is considered ________.
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59. | Low blood pressure is called ________.
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60. | The ________ pressure indicates the minimum amount of pressure exerted against the vessel walls at all times.
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61. | The brachial artery pulse point is located in the bend of the elbow, or the ________ space.
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62. | The apical pulse is taken over the ________, or the lower left corner of the heart, where the strongest heart sounds can be heard.
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63. | The ________ blood pressure is determined by listening with a stethoscope.
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64. | The armpit is also called the ________.
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65. | An abnormally slow heart rate is called ________.
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66. | Temperature can be measured in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or degrees ________ (centigrade; °C).
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67. | Respirations that are characterized by periods of increasing and decreasing depth of respiration between periods of apnea are ________ respirations.
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68. | Temperature can be measured in degrees ________ (°F) or degrees Celsius (centigrade; °C).
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69. | An exceptionally high fever is known as ________.
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70. | The vital signs are taken in different positions to assess for ________, or postural, hypotension.
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71. | The pulse of adults is generally measured at the ________ artery, where it can be felt in the groove on the thumb side of the inner wrist.
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72. | The procedure called the ________ method provides an approximation of the systolic blood pressure to ensure an adequate level of cuff inflation when the actual measurement is made.
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73. | A patient's blood pressure is checked standing and sitting. There is an increase in the pulse rate of more than 10 bpm, and the blood pressure drops more than 20 points, so this patient is considered to have orthostatic hypotension. This is sometimes documented as a positive ________ test.
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74. | The vital signs are taken in different positions to assess for orthostatic, or ________, hypotension.
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75. | Noisy breathing called ________ can indicate fluid in the lungs.
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76. | A(n) ________ consists of an inflatable cuff, a pressure bulb or automatic device for inflating the cuff, and a manometer to read the blood pressure.
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77. | A(n) _______ amplifies body sounds, making them louder, and consists of earpieces, binaurals, rubber or plastic tubing, and a chestpiece.
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78. | Rapid breathing is called _______.
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79. | The ________ scanner is a noninvasive and quick procedure for taking temperatures by stroking the thermometer across the forehead, crossing over the temporal artery.
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80. | Electronic digital _______ are used frequently in medical offices and provide a fast and accurate digital readout of the patient's temperature.
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81. | The ________ thermometer is designed for use in the ear and measures infrared energy emitted from the eardrum.
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82. | In the figure, the pulse is being taken over the ________ artery.
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83. | In the figure, a(n) ________ pulse is being taken.
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84. | Convert 99.0ºF to Celsius: ________ºC. (round to the nearest tenth)
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85. | Convert 101.2ºF to Celsius: ________ºC. (round to the nearest tenth)
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86. | Convert 100.8ºF to Celsius: ________ºC. (round to the nearest tenth)
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87. | Convert 36.8ºC to Fahrenheit: ________ºF. (round to the nearest tenth)
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88. | Convert 39.0ºC to Fahrenheit: ________ºF (round to the nearest tenth).
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89. | To calculate a patient’s ________ (BMI), a chart from the CDC or a handheld BMI calculator can be used.
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Multiple Choice Questions
90. | A patient with a pulse rate of 45 beats per minute is said to have ________.
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91. | What is the medical term for deep snoring or rattling sounds that are associated with asthma?
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Fill in the Blank Questions
92. | An excessive rate and depth of breathing is called _______.
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93. | A patient with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more is considered to be ______.
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