Index

• Welcome
• Lessons
  • Lesson 1: Initial Assessment
    • 1.1 What are “Vital Signs”?
    • 1.2 Initial Assessment and SAMPLE History
    • 1.3 Establish Patient Contact
    • 1.4 Assessing the Skin
    • 1.5 Assessing Level of Consciousness
    • 1.6 SAMPLE History
  • Lesson 2: Temperature
    • 2.01 Why is it important to know the patient’s temperature?
    • 2.02 What is a “normal” temperature?
    • 2.03 Why is “normal temperature” given as a range?
    • 2.04 How is a person’s body temperature regulated?
    • 2.05 What causes abnormal temperatures?
    • 2.06 How is a person’s temperature determined?
    • 2.07 How does a glass thermometer work?
    • 2.08 How do I read a glass thermometer?
    • 2.09 Will a temperature go down before it is read?
    • 2.10 How do I “shake down” a glass thermometer?
    • 2.11 Why are glass thermometers shaken down?
    • 2.12 How does an electric thermometer work?
    • 2.13 How do I read an electric thermometer?
    • 2.14 What parts of the body are used in determining temperature?
    • 2.15 What is the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer?
    • 2.16 Will I get the same temperature readings for oral, axillary, and rectal temperatures?
    • 2.17 When should I take an oral temperature?
    • 2.18 How do I take an oral temperature with a glass thermometer?
    • 2.19 How do I take an oral temperature with an electric thermometer?
    • 2.20 When should I take a rectal temperature?
    • 2.21 How do I take a rectal temperature with a glass thermometer?
    • 2.22 How do I take a rectal temperature with an electric thermometer?
    • 2.23 When should I take an axillary temperature?
    • 2.24 How to take an axillary temperature
    • 2.25 How are glass thermometers decontaminated?
  • Lesson 3: Pulse
    • 3.1 What is a pulse?
    • 3.2 What is a pulse rate?
    • 3.3 What factors are noted when taking a patient’s pulse?
    • 3.4 Which artery is palpated when a pulse is taken?
    • 3.5 How do I take a patient’s pulse?
  • Lesson 4: Respiration
    • 4.1 What is breathing?
    • 4.2 What causes breathing to occur?
    • 4.3 What is a breathing rate?
    • 4.4 What factors are noted when taking a patient’s breathing rate and quality?
    • 4.5 How do I assess a patient’s breathing rate and quality?
    • 4.6 Why should the patient be unaware that I am assessing his breathing rate and quality?
  • Lesson 5: Blood Pressure
    • 5.1 What is blood pressure?
    • 5.2 What are systolic and diastolic pressures?
    • 5.3 What factors affect a person’s blood pressure?
    • 5.4 What equipment is needed to measure a patient’s blood pressure?
    • 5.5 How does the air pressure inside the bladder provide information about the blood pressure?
    • 5.6 How do I take a patient’s blood pressure?
    • 5.7 Can I take a patient’s blood pressure without a stethoscope?
  • Lesson 6: Recording Vital Signs
    • 6.1 What are some of the forms on which vital signs are recorded?
    • 6.2 How is a DA Form 3950 completed?
    • 6.3 How is vital signs information obtained from a SF 511?
• Self-Tests
  • Lesson 1: Self-Test
  • Lesson 2: Self-Test
  • Lesson 3: Self-Test
  • Lesson 4: Self-Test
  • Lesson 5: Self-Test
  • Lesson 6: Self-Test
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