Vital Signs Quiz

You have delegated vital signs to assistive personnel. The assistant informs you that the patient has just finished a bowl of hot soup. The nurse’s most appropriate advice would be to:

• take a rectal temperature.

• take the oral temperature as planned.

• advise the patient to drink a glass of cold water.

• wait 30 minutes and take an oral temperature

You notice that a teenager has an irregular pulse. The best action you should take includes:

• reading the history and physical.

• assessing the apical pulse rate for 1 full minute

• auscultating for strength and depth of pulse.

• asking whether the patient feels any palpitations or faintness of breath.

A postoperative patient is breathing rapidly. You should immediately:

• call the physician.

• count the respirations.

• assess the oxygen saturation.

• ask the patient if he feels uncomfortable

When assessing the blood pressure of a school-age child, using an adult cuff of normal size will affect the reading and produce a value that is:

• Accurate.

• Indistinct.

• Falsely low.

• Falsely high

Which of the following factors affects body temperature regulation?

• Age

• Exercise

• Hormone levels

• All of the above

Which type of thermometer is most appropriate for a quick screening in a busy clinic setting?

• Rectal thermometer

• Oral thermometer

• Chemical dot thermometer

• Tympanic thermometer

What is the role of the hypothalamus in temperature regulation?

• It acts as the body's thermostat, maintaining a stable internal temperature.

• It initiates voluntary muscle contractions to produce heat.

• It solely regulates heat loss.

• It has no role in temperature regulation.

Which respiratory rate is considered normal for an adult?

• 8 breaths per minute

• 12 breaths per minute

• 20 breaths per minute

• 25 breaths per minute

Which site provides the most accurate reflection of core body temperature?

• Oral

• Axillary

• Rectal

• Temporal

A patient’s temperature is 102°F. The nurse anticipates the patient will exhibit:

• Bradycardia

• Tachycardia

• Hypotension

• Bradypnea