Ready for Vital Signs?

Please read up on vital signs and more this weekend! T, P, R, BP, HT, WT, Vision Testing with the Snellen Chart. Print out something short on each area. Here's an example regarding BP:

Taking the BP
To take a blood pressure, the person should be sitting comfortably and relaxed. Sleeves are pushed up or the shirt removed to reveal a naked arm as clothing can interfere with the pressure of the inflated cuff. The cuff of the sphygmomanometer is placed on the upper arm. It is centered over the brachial artery which is located in the crook of the elbow. The gauge should be placed so it can be easily read. There is usually a place on the cuff to clip it on. Once the cuff is secured, raise the arm to heart level, place your arm underneath it to support it and ask the person to relax their arm. Palpate (feel for) the brachial pulse and place the diaphragm of the stethoscope over this spot. Place the ear pieces on the stethoscope into your ears. Listen to the brachial pulse. Close the valve on the bladder of the cuff and begin to squeeze the bulb. Continue squeezing until the needle on the gauge reads at least 180 or until it is 10mmHg above where you last heard the pulse as you inflated the cuff. Some people cannot hear this and so it is usually pumped up to 180-200mmHg on the gauge. Open the valve slowly and allow the cuff to deflate by 5mmHg/second while you listen to the artery. When you first hear the Karotkoff sound this is the systolic pressure. Continue deflating the cuff until you no longer hear the Karotkoff sound. This is the diastolic pressure. At this point you can open the valve completely to allow the cuff to deflate rapidly. If you did not hear clearly, wait at least one minute before repeating the procedure.Read more at Suite101: Vital Signs: Blood Pressure: How to take a blood pressure http://www.suite101.com/content/vital-signs--blood-pressure-a9840#ixzz14voR3F9z

Thank you JOEY and EMMAD for being classroom mangers today!

Go see your supervisors at your site if I gave you a contract....okay? Please make an appointment first and wear your uniform, badge and lanyard.

Take care and have a great weekend!!!

Mrs. Erceg