Checking Of Vital Sing Definition Purpose And Procedure

Definition:

Vital signs are the measurement of body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure. Vital signs are indicators of one's overall health. They offer clues to diseases and help evaluate progress toward recovery. Vital signs should be taken at rest. Any abnormal findings should be repeated in order to verify the findings.All of these vital signs can be observed, measured, and monitored. This will enable the assessment of the level at which an individual is functioning. Normal ranges of measurements of vital signs change with age and medical condition.

Purpose:

• The purpose of recording vital signs is to establish a baseline on admission to a hospital, clinic, professional office, or other encounter with a health care provider.  The health care professional has the responsibility of interpreting data and identifying any abnormalities from a person's normal state, and of establishing if current treatment or medications are having the desired effect.
• Abnormalities of the heart are diagnosed by analyzing the heartbeat (or pulse) and blood pressure. The rate, rhythm and regularity of the beat are assessed, as well as the strength and tension of the beat, against the arterial wall.
• The vital signs are recorded and compared with normal ranges for a person's age and medical condition. Based on these results, a decision is made regarding further actions to be taken.
• All persons should be made comfortable and reassured that recording vital signs is normal part of health checks, and that it is necessary to ensure that the state of their health is being monitored correctly. 

Procedure Of Vital Checking :

• Body temperature

Body temperature is taken with a thermometer.In general, the normal oral temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (or 37 degrees Centigrade).The most common places to measure temperature include: 

• The mouth (oral temperature)
• Under the arm (axillary temperature)
• The anus (rectal temperature)

To record the temperature using  mercury thermometer, one should shake down the thermometer by holding it firmly at the clear end and flicking it quickly a few times, with the silver end pointing downward.   who is taking the temperature should confirm that the alcohol or mercury is below a normal body temperature.

To record an axillary temperature, the silver tip of the thermometer should be placed under the right armpit. The arm clamps the thermometer into place, against the chest. The thermometer should stay in place for three to four minutes. After the appropriate time has elapsed, the thermometer should be removed and held at eye level. During this waiting period, the body temperature will be measured The mercury will have risen to a mark that indicates the temperature of a person.

To record an oral temperature, the axillary procedure should be followed, except that the silver tip of the thermometer should be placed beneath the tongue for three to four minutes, then read as described previously.

In both cases, the thermometer should be wiped clean with an antiseptic and stored in an appropriate container to prevent breakage.

To record a rectal temperature, a rectal thermometer should be shaken down, as described previously. A small amount of water-based lubricant should be placed on the colored tip of the thermometer. Infants must be placed on their stomachs and held securely in place. The tip of the thermometer is inserted into the rectum no more than 0.5 in (1.3 cm) and held there for two to three minutes. The thermometer is removed, read as before, and wiped with an antibacterial wipe. It is then stored in an appropriate container to prevent breakage, because ingestion of mercury can be fatal.

• Pulse rate and rhythm

Checking  pulse rate is counting the number of times your beats in a minute. Pulse checks can be taken at the wrist (radial pulse) or at the neck (carotid pulse). Do not use your thumb; instead use your index and middle fingers. A resting adult heart rate should be between 60 and 90 beats a minute, average is 72 beat a minute.  Athletes may have lower rates. Children, depending on their age, will have higher pulse rates. 

• Respiratory rate

Checking  respiratory rate is counting the number of times take a breath in a minute. The best time to check the respiratory rate is at rest. To do this, count the number of times the chest rises for one full minute while breathing normally. The normal adult rate is 16 to 20 breaths per minute. Children breathe faster.

• Blood pressure

 The average blood pressure is 120 millimeters of mercury (systolic-the upper number), over 80 millimeters of mercury (diastolic-the lower number). A resting blood pressure of over 90 diastolic is considered mildly elevated; over 100 may require treatment.

If the blood pressure is monitored manually, a cuff is placed level with the heart and wrapped firmly but not tightly around the arm one inch above the elbow over the brachial artery. Wrinkles in the cuff should be smoothed out. Positioning a stethoscope over the brachial artery in front of the elbow with one hand and listening through the earpieces, the cuff is inflated well above normal levels (to about 200 mmHg), or until no sound is heard. Alternatively, the cuff should be inflated 10 mm Hg above the last sound heard. The valve in the pump is slowly opened. Air is allowed to escape no faster than 5 mmHg per second to deflate the pressure in the cuff to the point where a clicking sound is heard over the brachial artery. The reading of the gauge at this point is recorded as the systolic pressure.

The sounds continue as the pressure in the cuff is released and the flow of blood through the artery is no longer blocked. At this point, the noises are no longer heard. The reading of the gauge at this point is noted as the diastolic pressure. "Lub-dub" is the sound produced by the normal heart as it beats. Every time this sound is detected, it means that the heart is contracting once. The noises are created when the heart valves click to close. When one hears "lub," the atrioventricular valves are closing. The "dub" sound is produced by the pulmonic and aortic valves.

Wound Care Its Definition ,Facts ,Wound Healing And Management

Definition of wounds. 

Wound. A wound is any break in the skin that can vary from a superficial to a full thickness wound.

 A partial thickness wound is confined to loss of the epidermis and partial loss of the dermis; whereas

 a full thickness wound has a total loss of the epidermis and dermis and can involve the deeper

 subcutaneous and muscle tissues and/or bone.Wound care is provided in a variety of patient 

care settings including acute care, subacute care, long-term care, outpatient clinics, and in the home.

Acute wound.: 

Acute wounds occur suddenly and are commonly due to trauma or 

surgery, which triggers blood clotting and a wound repair process that leads to wound closure 

within 2-4 weeks. 

Chronic wound.

A chronic wound is a one that does not does not proceed through an 

orderly and timely repair process requiring more than 4 weeks to heal such as vascular wounds 

and pressure wounds .

Surgical wound:

. A surgical wound that heals in an orderly and expected fashion may be 

considered an acute wound. Surgical wounds heal by primary closure or are left open for delayed 

primary closure or healing by secondary closure. Primary closure facilitates the fastest healing. 

However, infected wounds should not be primarily closed.

WOUND CARE FACTS: 

The skin is a barrier to the outside world protecting the body from infection, radiation, and extremes of temperature.

There are many types of wounds that can damage the skin including abrasions, lacerations, rupture injuries, punctures, and penetrating wounds.

Many wounds are superficial requiring local first aid including cleansing and dressing.

Some wounds are deeper and need medical attention to prevent infection and loss of function, due to damage to underlying structures like bone, muscle, tendon, arteries and nerves.

The purpose of medical care for wounds is to prevent complications and preserve function. While important, cosmetic results are not the primary consideration for wound repair.

Animal and human bites should always be seen by a medical professional because of the high rate of infection.

It is important to know a person'stetanus immunization status (for example, has the person had a tetanus shot or booster vaccine in the last 5 years?) so that it can be updated with a tetanus booster if needed.

TYPES OF WOUND HEALING : 

FIRST INTENTION HEALING-partial thickness wounds. - a clean incision is made with primary closure, minimal scarring. -expected when the edges of clean surgical incisions are sutured together, tissue loss is minimal or absent if the wound is not contaminated with microorganism. -e.g.-abrasion or skin tear.

SECOND INTENTION HEALING-granulation -accompanies traumatic open wounds with tissues loss or wounds with a high microorganisms count. -go though a process involving scar tissue formation a heal slowly because of the volume of tissue needed to fill the defect. -e.g.-contaminated surgical wound, pressure ulcer. 

COMPLICATION OF WOUND HEALING : 

1. HEMORRRHAGE -risk of hemorrhage is greatest during the ist 48 hours after surgery. -emergency pressure dressing to the wound and monitor vital signs.

2. INFECTION -surgical infection is apparently 2-11 days post operatively. 

WOUND MANAGEMENT

. DRESSINGS - material applied to wound with or without medication, to give protection and assist in healing. -what are the purposes? To protect the wound from mechanical injury Splint or immobilized the wound. Absorbs dressing Prevent contamination from bloody discharges.

DRY TO DRY DRESSINGS -used primarily for wounds closing by primary intention is good protection, absorption & provide pressure to the wound surface when drainage dries. - when remove can cause pain and disruption of granulation tissue.

WET TO DRY DRESSINGS -used for untidy or infected wounds that must be debrided and closed by secondary intention.How can it be done? -gauze saturated with sterile saline or antimicrobial sol’n. is packed into the wound, the wet dressing are then covered by dry dressings.When to changed? -when it becomes dry.

WET TO WET DRESSINGS -used on clean open wounds or on granulating surfaces.Provide a more physiologic environment (warmth moisture) which can enhance the local healing processes and assure greater patient comfort. surrounding tissues can become ulcerated. high risk for infection. 

Hospital About First Aid And First Aider Definition

What Is First Aid ?

First aid is the provision of immediate care to a victim with an injury or illness, usually effected by a lay person, and performed within a limited skill range. First aid is normally performed until the injury or illness is satisfactorily dealt with (such as in the case of small cuts, minor bruises, and blisters) or until the next level of care, such as a paramedic or doctor, arrives.

Full Form Of First Aid:

• F-first
• I-investigation
• R-relief
• S-symptom
• T-treatment
• A-arrangement
• I-immediately
• D-disposal

Aims Of First Aid.

To preserve life. 

To prevent the worsening of one's medical condition . 

To promote recovery. 

Safe transportation to the nearest health care facility .

What Is First Aider?

First Aider is the term which describes any person who has received a certificate from an authorized training body indicating that he or she is qualified to render First Aid.

The Responsibility Of The First Aider: