Tools equipment and paraphernalia for taking vital signs. Lesson 1 - Use Tools, Equipment, and Paraphernalia - GenTHigh GenTHigh Computer Wiz Academy: pin. Survival Ready Blog, Outdoor Survival Gear & Skills, SHTF. May 08, 2019 Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs; stethoscope,the different kinds of bp apparatus and thermometer Read More. How do you maintain the tools equipment and paraphernalia used in care giving coffeemaker? The best way to maintain tools, equipment and paraphernalia used with when caring for a coffeemaker is to clean them. Depending on the health history and familiarity with a patient, the taking of vital signs should be a standard procedure for all patients. Clinical indicators that highlight the need for an assessment of vital signs include dyspnea, hypertension, fatigue, syncope, chest pain, irregular heart rate, cyanosis, intermittent claudication, nausea, diaphoresis, and pedal edema. Maintain Tools, Equipment, and Paraphernalia These four common competencies are covered separately in four lessons. As shown below, each Lesson is directed to the attainment of one, two, or three learning outcomes: Lesson 1 – Use Tools, Equipment, and Paraphernalia LO1. Identify caregiving tools, equipment, and paraphernalia applicable.

Diagnostic Equipment for. Vital Signs Devices. The Welch Allyn Spot Vital Signs® monitor provides vital signs in seconds with hospital-grade technology.

1. Although CNAs' job duties vary from employer to employer, the vast majority rely on the following tools throughout their workdays: Stethoscope - CNAs are usually responsible for taking patients' vital signs, and a stethoscope really comes in handy for that.
2. Vital Signs Equipment How to use a pulse oximeter - When I was a certified nursing assistant (CNA), this little device was always with me. They are used not only to check your patient's pulse rate, they also give an oxygen saturation reading.

noun

• 1treated as singular or pluralMiscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity.

  ‘drills, saws, and other paraphernalia necessary for home improvements’

  • ‘I would contend a crucial first step in the fight against bigotry is to ban the vendors outside the grounds who sell the paraphernalia which causes most offense.’
  • ‘Despite all the tools and paraphernalia, many people feel that the most important ingredient is the Witch.’
  • ‘Only most incidents pass unreported because they occur away from the ground and the accompanying paraphernalia of cameras and notebooks.’
  • ‘Apart from the sponsor company's paraphernalia, there were big displays of chessboards.’
  • ‘A party ensued, with marquees blasting out music and a market area selling drugs and festival paraphernalia such as glow sticks.’
  • ‘They, in spite of the most expensive and elaborate defense paraphernalia of the US Government, feel defenseless.’
  • ‘Through this, my dad slowly but surely built a reputation for quality and timely delivery of printed paraphernalia.’
  • ‘Begrudgingly, the guru agreed and the priest left to collect the necessary paraphernalia.’
  • ‘Various other bits and pieces of paraphernalia or equipment in the process can be a source of infection for Hep-C as well.’
  • ‘But it must go much farther than merely banning the sale of paramilitary paraphernalia near the club grounds.’
  • ‘We still have the human resources at all levels and we still have the equipment and paraphernalia for general elections.’
  • ‘Both of my boys have been raised around computer paraphernalia and tools.’
  • ‘Various other equipment and military paraphernalia have been found in the area over the years.’
  • ‘A UN flag and an Indian flag now form part of his paraphernalia in the travel kit.’
  • ‘Around £2,000 cash was also found along with drug paraphernalia including scales and cutting boards.’
  • ‘Drug paraphernalia and empty wine bottles lay strewn among layers of rotting food, dirty cardboard boxes and stinking blankets.’
  • ‘Of course, no one could prove that, as he had all of the necessary ID, credit cards, and other paraphernalia.’
  • ‘At one event, a giant Christmas cracker had been lowered to the ground containing all manner of party paraphernalia including party balloons and hats.’
  • ‘Pro shooters walk around with those funny khaki vests with large pockets all over them stuffed with paraphernalia and lenses.’
  • ‘Items on auction include left over shop stock, fittings, computer equipment and other environmental paraphernalia.’

  equipment, stuff, things, apparatus, tackle, kit, implements, tools, utensils, material, materials, appliances, rig, outfit, accoutrements, appurtenances, impedimenta, miscellaneous articles, odds and ends, bits and pieces, bits and bobs, trappings, accessories

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Trappings associated with a particular institution or activity that are regarded as superfluous.
     • ‘Though these comforts are the paraphernalia associated with aristocrats, priority for the same assumes a logic.’
     • ‘At the focus of the pueblo was a large plaza in which was a great kiva flanked by rectangular rooms, possibly storerooms for food and ritual paraphernalia.’
     • ‘He looked around pointedly at the ritual paraphernalia which surrounded us.’
     • ‘The basic paraphernalia associated with a Mumbai beachside is in the Temple City, albeit for a limited period.’
     • ‘The theatre and paraphernalia of church ritual were rejected, as was the distinction between clergy and laity.’
     • ‘Most of the paraphernalia we have come to associate with funerals today is of Victorian invention and aesthetic.’

     belongings, luggage, baggage, effects, supplies, provisions, trappings, appurtenances, impedimenta

     View synonyms

Origin

Evidence Collection Tools from Sirchie. Sirchie is the world leader in criminal investigation and forensic supplies, including evidence collection tools & kits supplies and evidence collection tools. Tools equipment and paraphernalia for taking vital signs. Lesson 1 - Use Tools, Equipment, and Paraphernalia - GenTHigh GenTHigh Computer Wiz Academy: pin. Survival Ready Blog, Outdoor Survival Gear & Skills, SHTF.

Mid 17th century (denoting property owned by a married woman): from medieval Latin, based on Greek parapherna ‘property apart from a dowry’, from para ‘distinct from’ + pherna (from phernē ‘dower’).

Vital signs (often shortened to just vitals) are a group of the 4 to 6 most important signs that indicate the status of the body’s vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person, give clues to possible diseases, and show progress toward recovery.^[1][2] The normal ranges for a person’s vital signs vary with age, weight, gender, and overall health.^[3]

There are four primary vital signs: body temperature, blood pressure, pulse (heart rate), and breathing rate (respiratory rate), often notated as BT, BP, HR, and RR. However, depending on the clinical setting, the vital signs may include other measurements called the 'fifth vital sign' or 'sixth vital sign'. Vital signs are recorded using the LOINC internationally accepted standard coding system.^[4][5]

Early warning scores have been proposed that combine the individual values of vital signs into a single score. This was done in recognition that deteriorating vital signs often precede cardiac arrest and/or admission to the intensive care unit. Used appropriately, a rapid response team can assess and treat a deteriorating patient and prevent adverse outcomes.^[6][7][8]

• 1Primary vital signs
• 2Other signs

Primary vital signs[edit]

There are four primary vital signs which are standard in most medical settings:

1. Heart rate or Pulse

The equipment needed is a thermometer, a sphygmomanometer, and a watch. Though a pulse can be taken by hand, a stethoscope may be required for a patient with a very weak pulse.

Temperature[edit]

Temperature recording gives an indication of core body temperature which is normally tightly controlled (thermoregulation) as it affects the rate of chemical reactions. Body temperature is maintained through a balance of the heat produced by the body and the heat lost from the body.

Temperature can be recorded in order to establish a baseline for the individual's normal body temperature for the site and measuring conditions. The main reason for checking body temperature is to solicit any signs of systemic infection or inflammation in the presence of a fever (temp > 38.5 °C/101.3 °F or sustained temp > 38 °C/100.4 °F), or elevated significantly above the individual's normal temperature. Other causes of elevated temperature include hyperthermia. Fallout 4 magazines mod.

Temperature depression (hypothermia) also needs to be evaluated. It is also noteworthy to review the trend of the patient's temperature. A fever of 38 °C is not necessarily indicate an ominous sign if the patient's previous temperature has been higher.

Pulse[edit]

The pulse is the rate at which the heart beats while pumping blood through the arteries, recorded as beats per minute (bpm). It may also be called 'heart rate'. The pulse is commonly taken at the wrist (radial artery). Alternative sites include the elbow (brachial artery), the neck (carotid artery), behind the knee (popliteal artery), or in the foot (dorsalis pedis or posterior tibial arteries). The pulse rate can also be measured by listening directly to the heartbeat using a stethoscope. The pulse varies with age: a newborn or infant can have a heart rate of 130–150 bpm, a toddler of 100–120 bpm, an older child of 60–100 bpm, an adolescent of 80–100 bpm, and an adult of 50–80 bpm.

Respiratory rate[edit]

Average respiratory rates vary between ages, but the normal reference range for people age 18 to 65 is 16–20 breaths per minute.^[9] The value of respiratory rate as an indicator of potential respiratory dysfunction has been investigated but findings suggest it is of limited value. Respiratory rate is a clear indicator of acidotic states, as the main function of respiration is removal of CO₂ leaving bicarbonate base in circulation.

Blood pressure[edit]

The blood pressure is recorded as two readings: a high systolic pressure, which occurs during the maximal contraction of the heart, and the lower diastolic or resting pressure. A normal blood pressure would be 120 being the systolic over 80, the diastolic. Usually the blood pressure is read from the left arm unless there is some damage to the arm. The difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure is called the pulse pressure. The measurement of these pressures is now usually done with an aneroid or electronic sphygmomanometer. The classic measurement device is a mercury sphygmomanometer, using a column of mercury measured off in millimeters. In the United States and UK, the common form is millimeters of mercury, whilst elsewhere SI units of pressure are used. There is no natural 'normal' value for blood pressure, but rather a range of values that on increasing are associated with increased risks. The guideline acceptable reading also takes into account other co-factors for disease. Therefore, elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is variously defined when the systolic number is persistently over 140–160 mmHg. Low blood pressure is hypotension. Blood pressures are also taken at other portions of the extremities. These pressures are called segmental blood pressures and are used to evaluate blockage or arterial occlusion in a limb (see Ankle brachial pressure index).

Other signs[edit]

In the U.S., in addition to the above four, many providers are required or encouraged by government technology-in-medicine laws to record the patient's height, weight, and body mass index.^[10] Unlike the traditional vital signs, these measurements are not useful for assessing acute changes in state because of the rate at which they change; however, they are useful for assessing the impact of prolonged illness or chronic health problems.

The definition of vital signs may also vary with the setting of the assessment. EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), in particular, are taught to measure the vital signs of: respiration, pulse, skin, pupils, and blood pressure as 'the 5 vital signs' in a non-hospital setting.^[11]

Fifth vital signs[edit]

The 'fifth vital sign' may refer to a few different parameters.

• Pain is considered a standard fifth vital sign in some organizations such as the U.S. Veterans Affairs.^[12] Pain is measured on a 0-10 pain scale based on subjective patient reporting and may be unreliable.^[13] Some studies show that recording pain routinely may not change management.^[14][15][16]
• Menstrual cycle^[17][18]
• Oxygen saturation (as measured by pulse oximetry)^[19][20][21]
• Blood Glucose level ^[22]

Sixth vital signs[edit]

There is no standard 'sixth vital sign'; its use is more informal and discipline-dependent than the above.

• End-tidal CO
  2.^[23][24]
• Functional status^[25]
• Shortness of breath^[26]
• Gait speed^[27]
• Delirium ^[28]

Variations by age[edit]

Children and infants have respiratory and heart rates that are faster than those of adults as shown in the following table:

Monitoring[edit]

Monitoring of vital parameters most commonly includes at least blood pressure and heart rate, and preferably also pulse oximetry and respiratory rate. Multimodal monitors that simultaneously measure and display the relevant vital parameters are commonly integrated into the bedside monitors in intensive care units, and the anesthetic machines in operating rooms. These allow for continuous monitoring of a patient, with medical staff being continuously informed of the changes in general condition of a patient.

While monitoring has traditionally been done by nurses and doctors, a number of companies are developing devices which can be used by consumers themselves. These include Scanadu and Azoi.

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Vital Signs'.
2. ^http://www.emergencycareforyou.org/VitalCareMagazine/ER101/Default.aspx?id=500
3. ^'Vital Signs Table - ProHealthSys'.
4. ^'Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes'.
5. ^'LOINC - A Lingua Franca Critical for Electronic Medical Records and Health Information Exchange'.
6. ^National Early Warning Score Development and Implementation Group (NEWSDIG) (2012). National Early Warning Score (NEWS): standardising the assessment of acute-illness severity in the NHS. London: Royal College of Physicians. ISBN978-1-86016-471-2.
7. ^National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Clinical guideline 50: Acutely ill patients in hospital. London, 2007.
8. ^'Acute care toolkit 6: the medical patient at risk: recognition and care of the seriously ill or deteriorating medical patient'(PDF). Royal College of Physicians of London. May 2013.
9. ^(RCP 2012)^{[clarification needed]}
10. ^'What should I include when I record vital signs of my patients for MU? - Providers & Professionals - HealthIT.gov'.
11. ^Emergency Care, 11th edition, pp. 226–244.
12. ^http://www.va.gov/painmanagement/docs/toolkit.pdf
13. ^Lorenz, Karl A.; Sherbourne, Cathy D.; Shugarman, Lisa R.; Rubenstein, Lisa V.; Wen, Li; Cohen, Angela; Goebel, Joy R.; Hagenmeier, Emily; Simon, Barbara; Lanto, Andy; Asch, Steven M. (1 May 2009). 'How Reliable is Pain as the Fifth Vital Sign?'. J Am Board Fam Med. 22 (3): 291–298. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2009.03.080162. PMID19429735 – via www.jabfm.org.
14. ^'Tips From Other Journals - American Family Physician'.
15. ^Mularski RA, White-Chu F, Overbay D, Miller L, Asch SM, Ganzini L (2006). 'Measuring pain as the 5th vital sign does not improve quality of pain management'. J Gen Intern Med. 21 (6): 607–12. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00415.x. PMC1924634. PMID16808744.
16. ^http://www.pain-initiative-un.org/doc-center/en/docs/The%20Fifth%20Vital%20Sign%20Implementation.pdf
17. ^American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2015). 'Menstruation in girls and adolescents: using the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Committee Opinion No. 651'. Obstet Gynecol. 126: 143–6.
18. ^American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Adolescence, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Committee on Adolescent Health Care. (2006). 'Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign'. Pediatrics. 118 (5).CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
19. ^Mower W, Myers G, Nicklin E, Kearin K, Baraff L, Sachs C (1998). 'Pulse oximetry as a fifth vital sign in emergency geriatric assessment'. Acad Emerg Med. 5 (9): 858–65. doi:10.1111/j.1553-2712.1998.tb02813.x. PMID9754497.
20. ^Mower W, Sachs C, Nicklin E, Baraff L (1997). 'Pulse oximetry as a fifth pediatric vital sign'. Pediatrics. 99 (5): 681–6. CiteSeerX10.1.1.575.2200. doi:10.1542/peds.99.5.681. PMID9113944.
21. ^Neff T (1988). 'Routine oximetry. A fifth vital sign?'. Chest. 94 (2): 227. doi:10.1378/chest.94.2.227a. PMID3396392.
22. ^'Mining Vital Signs from Wearable Healthcare Device via Nonlinear Machine Learning'. University of Hull. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
23. ^Vardi A, Levin I, Paret G, Barzilay Z (2000). 'The sixth vital sign: end-tidal CO₂ in pediatric trauma patients during transport'. Harefuah. 139 (3–4): 85–7, 168. PMID10979461.
24. ^Holcomb JB, Salinas J, McManus JM, Miller CC, Cooke WH, Convertino VA (2005). 'Manual vital signs reliably predict need for life-saving interventions in trauma patients'. J Trauma. 59 (4): 821–8, discussion 828–9. doi:10.1097/01.ta.0000188125.44129.7c. PMID16374268.
25. ^Bierman A (2001). 'Functional Status: The Sixth Vital Sign'. J Gen Intern Med. 16 (11): 785–6. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2001.10918.x. PMC1495293. PMID11722694.
26. ^'Nursing care of dyspnea: the 6th vital sign in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)'. National Guideline Clearinghouse. Archived from the original on 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
27. ^Studenski S, Perera S, Wallace D, et al. (2003). 'Physical performance measures in the clinical setting'. J Am Geriatr Soc. 51 (9): 314–322. doi:10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51104.x. PMID12588574.
28. ^https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(08)00072-8/fulltext
29. ^ ^abcdefghijPEDIATRIC AGE SPECIFIC, page 6. Revised 6/10. By Theresa Kirkpatrick and Kateri Tobias. UCLA Health System
30. ^Emergency Care, Page 214
31. ^Emergency Care, Page 215
32. ^Vorvick, Linda. 'Pulse'. MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 23 January 2011.

What Are The Different Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs

What are vital signs?

Vital signs are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and health care providers include the following:

• Body temperature

• Pulse rate

• Respiration rate (rate of breathing)

• Blood pressure (Blood pressure is not considered a vital sign, but is often measured along with the vital signs.)

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs Procedures

Vital signs are useful in detecting or monitoring medical problems. Vital signs can be measured in a medical setting, at home, at the site of a medical emergency, or elsewhere.

What is body temperature?

The normal body temperature of a person varies depending on gender, recent activity, food and fluid consumption, time of day, and, in women, the stage of the menstrual cycle. Normal body temperature can range from 97.8 degrees F (or Fahrenheit, equivalent to 36.5 degrees C, or Celsius) to 99 degrees F (37.2 degrees C) for a healthy adult. A person's body temperature can be taken in any of the following ways:

• Orally. Temperature can be taken by mouth using either the classic glass thermometer, or the more modern digital thermometers that use an electronic probe to measure body temperature.

• Rectally. Temperatures taken rectally (using a glass or digital thermometer) tend to be 0.5 to 0.7 degrees F higher than when taken by mouth.

• Axillary. Temperatures can be taken under the arm using a glass or digital thermometer. Temperatures taken by this route tend to be 0.3 to 0.4 degrees F lower than those temperatures taken by mouth.

• By ear. A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the ear drum, which reflects the body's core temperature (the temperature of the internal organs).

• By skin. A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the skin on the forehead.

Body temperature may be abnormal due to fever (high temperature) or hypothermia (low temperature). A fever is indicated when body temperature rises about one degree or more over the normal temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Hypothermia is defined as a drop in body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

About glass thermometers containing mercury

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mercury is a toxic substance that poses a threat to the health of humans, as well as to the environment. Because of the risk of breaking, glass thermometers containing mercury should be removed from use and disposed of properly in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Contact your local health department, waste disposal authority, or fire department for information on how to properly dispose of mercury thermometers.

What is the pulse rate?

The pulse rate is a measurement of the heart rate, or the number of times the heart beats per minute. As the heart pushes blood through the arteries, the arteries expand and contract with the flow of the blood. Taking a pulse not only measures the heart rate, but also can indicate the following:

• Heart rhythm

• Strength of the pulse

The normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. The pulse rate may fluctuate and increase with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions. Females ages 12 and older, in general, tend to have faster heart rates than do males. Athletes, such as runners, who do a lot of cardiovascular conditioning, may have heart rates near 40 beats per minute and experience no problems.

How to check your pulse

As the heart forces blood through the arteries, you feel the beats by firmly pressing on the arteries, which are located close to the surface of the skin at certain points of the body. The pulse can be found on the side of the neck, on the inside of the elbow, or at the wrist. For most people, it is easiest to take the pulse at the wrist. If you use the lower neck, be sure not to press too hard, and never press on the pulses on both sides of the lower neck at the same time to prevent blocking blood flow to the brain. When taking your pulse:

• Using the first and second fingertips, press firmly but gently on the arteries until you feel a pulse.

• Begin counting the pulse when the clock's second hand is on the 12.

• Count your pulse for 60 seconds (or for 15 seconds and then multiply by four to calculate beats per minute).

• When counting, do not watch the clock continuously, but concentrate on the beats of the pulse.

• If unsure about your results, ask another person to count for you.

If your doctor has ordered you to check your own pulse and you are having difficulty finding it, consult your doctor or nurse for additional instruction.

What is the respiration rate?

The respiration rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute. The rate is usually measured when a person is at rest and simply involves counting the number of breaths for one minute by counting how many times the chest rises. Respiration rates may increase with fever, illness, and other medical conditions. When checking respiration, it is important to also note whether a person has any difficulty breathing.

Normal respiration rates for an adult person at rest range from 12 to 16 breaths per minute.

What is blood pressure?

Tools&equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs

Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls during contraction and relaxation of the heart. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries, resulting in the highest blood pressure as the heart contracts. When the heart relaxes, the blood pressure falls.

Two numbers are recorded when measuring blood pressure. The higher number, or systolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and pumps blood through the body. The lower number, or diastolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is at rest and is filling with blood. Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are recorded as 'mm Hg' (millimeters of mercury). This recording represents how high the mercury column in an old-fashioned manual blood pressure device (called a mercury manometer or sphygmomanometer) is raised by the pressure of the blood. Today, your doctor's office is more likely to use a simple dial for this measurement.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, directly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. With high blood pressure, the arteries may have an increased resistance against the flow of blood, causing the heart to pump harder to circulate the blood.

Blood pressure is categorized as normal, elevated, or stage 1 or stage 2 high blood pressure:

• Normal blood pressure is systolic of less than 120 and diastolic of less than 80 (120/80)

• Elevated blood pressure is systolic of 120 to 129 and diastolic less than 80

• Stage 1 high blood pressure is systolic is 130 to 139 or diastolic between 80 to 89

• Stage 2 high blood pressure is when systolic is 140 or higher or the diastolic is 90 or higher

These numbers should be used as a guide only. A single blood pressure measurement that is higher than normal is not necessarily an indication of a problem. Your doctor will want to see multiple blood pressure measurements over several days or weeks before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure and starting treatment. Ask your provider when to contact him or her if your blood pressure readings are not within the normal range.

Why should I monitor my blood pressure at home?

For people with hypertension, home monitoring allows your doctor to monitor how much your blood pressure changes during the day, and from day to day. This may also help your doctor determine how effectively your blood pressure medication is working.

What special equipment is needed to measure blood pressure?

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs Video

Either an aneroid monitor, which has a dial gauge and is read by looking at a pointer, or a digital monitor, in which the blood pressure reading flashes on a small screen, can be used to measure blood pressure.

About the aneroid monitor

The aneroid monitor is less expensive than the digital monitor. The cuff is inflated by hand by squeezing a rubber bulb. Some units even have a special feature to make it easier to put the cuff on with one hand. However, the unit can be easily damaged and become less accurate. Because the person using it must listen for heartbeats with the stethoscope, it may not be appropriate for the hearing-impaired.

About the digital monitor

The digital monitor is automatic, with the measurements appearing on a small screen. Because the recordings are easy to read, this is the most popular blood pressure measuring device. It is also easier to use than the aneroid unit, and since there is no need to listen to heartbeats through the stethoscope, this is a good device for hearing-impaired patients. One disadvantage is that body movement or an irregular heart rate can change the accuracy. These units are also more expensive than the aneroid monitors.

About finger and wrist blood pressure monitors

Tests have shown that finger and/or wrist blood pressure devices are not as accurate in measuring blood pressure as other types of monitors. In addition, they are more expensive than other monitors.

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs Respiration

Before you measure your blood pressure:

The American Heart Association recommends the following guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring:

• Don't smoke or drink coffee for 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure.

• Go to the bathroom before the test.

• Relax for 5 minutes before taking the measurement.

• Sit with your back supported (don't sit on a couch or soft chair). Keep your feet on the floor uncrossed. Place your arm on a solid flat surface (like a table) with the upper part of the arm at heart level. Place the middle of the cuff directly above the bend of the elbow. Check the monitor's instruction manual for an illustration.

• Take multiple readings. When you measure, take 2 to 3 readings one minute apart and record all the results.

• Take your blood pressure at the same time every day, or as your healthcare provider recommends.

• Record the date, time, and blood pressure reading.

• Take the record with you to your next medical appointment. Dj mixer express for windows keygen crack. If your blood pressure monitor has a built-in memory, simply take the monitor with you to your next appointment.

• Call your provider if you have several high readings. Don't be frightened by a single high blood pressure reading, but if you get several high readings, check in with your healthcare provider.

• When blood pressure reaches a systolic (top number) of 180 or higher OR diastolic (bottom number) of 110 or higher, seek emergency medical treatment.

Ask your doctor or another healthcare professional to teach you how to use your blood pressure monitor correctly. Have the monitor routinely checked for accuracy by taking it with you to your doctor's office. It is also important to make sure the tubing is not twisted when you store it and keep it away from heat to prevent cracks and leaks.

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs A Skill On Resume

Proper use of your blood pressure monitor will help you and your doctor in monitoring your blood pressure.

NASA Technology

Have you ever felt nauseous reading a book in the back seat of a car? Or woken from a deep sleep feeling disoriented, unsure which way is up? Momentary mixups like these happen when the sensory systems that track the body’s orientation in space become confused. (In the case of the backseat bookworm, the conflict arises when the reader’s inner ear, part of the body’s vestibular system, senses the car’s motion while her eyes are fixed on the stationary pages of the book.) Conditions like motion sickness are common on Earth, but they also present a significant challenge to astronauts in space.

Human sensory systems use the pull of gravity to help determine orientation. In the microgravity environment onboard the International Space Station, for example, the body experiences a period of confusion before it adapts to the new circumstances. (In space, even the body’s proprioceptive system, which tells the brain where the arms and legs are oriented without the need for visual confirmation, goes haywire, meaning astronauts sometimes lose track of where their limbs are when they are not moving them.) This Space Adaptation Syndrome affects a majority of astronauts, even experienced ones, causing everything from mild disorientation to nausea to severe vomiting.

“It can be quite debilitating,” says William Toscano, a research scientist in NASA’s Ames Research Center Psychophysiology Laboratory, part of the Center’s Human Systems Integration Division. “When this happens, as you can imagine, work proficiency declines considerably.”

Since astronauts cannot afford to be distracted or incapacitated during critical missions, NASA has explored various means for preventing and countering motion sickness in space, including a range of drug treatments. Many effective motion sickness drugs, however, cause undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness. Toscano and his NASA colleague, Patricia Cowings, have developed a different approach: Utilizing biofeedback training methods, the pair can teach astronauts, military pilots, and others susceptible to motion sickness to self-regulate their own physiological responses and suppress the unpleasant symptoms. This NASA-patented method invented by Cowings is called the Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise (ATFE), and several studies have demonstrated its promise.

“We’re able to get people to significantly increase their motion sickness tolerance,” says Toscano, noting that in laboratory studies conducted over a 20-year period about 85 percent of those who have undergone the 6-hour training experienced benefits, with about 65 percent able to suppress their symptoms entirely.

In order to gather the necessary physiological data for their research and to enable the ATFE biofeedback training, Toscano and Cowings needed a practical solution for monitoring the vital signs of test subjects like astronauts and pilots.

“The biggest consideration with using physiological monitors on astronauts and aircrew is putting sensors on the body,” Toscano says. “You need to have an unobtrusive device.”

A company in Annapolis, Maryland, proved to have the technology the NASA researchers were looking for. Now the resulting partnership has both enabled NASA studies and provided powerful commercial fitness and health monitoring tools for soldiers, first responders, professional athletes, and consumers.

Partnership

Zephyr Technology launched in 2003 with the goal of providing physiological status monitoring (PSM) for people in any condition or environment. Working with innovative technologies like smart fabrics and solid-state accelerometers, the company developed a unique PSM device—a narrow fabric band worn around the upper torso. Called the BioHarness, the product’s ability to capture, store, and transmit a range of vital sign data, coupled with its comfortable design, made it ideal for Toscano and Cowings’ research.

Under a Space Act Agreement, NASA partnered with Zephyr to use the BioHarness to study motion sickness in test subjects onboard the Zero-G aircraft. Parabolic-arc flights are used to train astronauts and conduct experiments in momentary microgravity. (The plane is also known as the “Vomit Comet” due to its motion sickness-inducing flight maneuvers.) Another study was conducted as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Physiological Health Assessment System for Emergency Responders (PHASER) program. NASA researchers used Zephyr’s technology to monitor the vital signs of firefighters to aid PHASER’s goals of determining the impact of the high-stress jobs on health. According to the DHS, first responders like firefighters experience the highest occupational rate of line-of-duty deaths from events like heart attacks and strokes.

Toscano and Cowings have even employed the BioHarness for training U.S. Navy fighter pilots to overcome the motion sickness some experience in flight; in the study, 5 of the 7 pilots were able to resume their jobs when overwhelming motion sickness had previously made them unfit to fly.

While the Ames researchers benefited from the use of Zephyr’s devices, the company also came away with significant NASA contributions.

“NASA’s depth of experience in physiology and knowledge of what’s been tried before is just massive for a small company like ours,” says Brian Russell, Zephyr’s CEO.

“We’ve been able to give Zephyr good feedback on the types of algorithms to incorporate into their firmware, and on topics like crew comfort issues,” says Toscano. “They have taken that information and redesigned their system over the course of several years.”

Benefits

Zephyr’s BioHarness is now a market-leading technology and the cornerstone of its PSM training system. Through its smart fabric sensors, the BioHarness measures heart rate and heart rate variability, provides a heart electrocardiogram, and monitors breathing, skin temperature, motion (including speed and distance), and posture. The device can either store this data for later retrieval or transmit it using Bluetooth technology to a laptop to be displayed and analyzed by Zephyr’s OmniSense software. Additionally, the data can be sent to a smartphone loaded with any of a range of apps developed by Zephyr partners. A single PSM system can provide real-time monitoring of up to 64 BioHarness users. The applications of the gathered data are many, says Russell, but the common factor to all of them is utility.

“If you’re a doctor, a military commander, a medic, or a sports coach, our data needs to tell you something that’s useful,” Russell explains. With the company selling thousands of products a month, the usefulness of the company’s NASA-improved technology seems spoken for.

One key application for the BioHarness is in fitness training. The readings logged by the device provide valuable baseline information on a user’s fitness levels and help the user track improvement over time. Professional sports teams in football, basketball, hockey, and baseball use the BioHarness to support and monitor the effectiveness of training regimens. The data delivered by the system also helps trainers recognize when an athlete might be suffering from dehydration or excessive fatigue or is at risk for heat stroke—a condition that has resulted in the deaths of a number of athletes during training.

Working with the U.S. Special Forces, Zephyr tailored its PSM system for military applications, including determining the fitness of soldiers, and the company also provides PSM systems for first responders. In both cases, the data gathered by the BioHarness is transmitted via Bluetooth over the users’ tactical radios to OmniSense-equipped computers.

The company also offers a system called the Consumer HxM, which provides heart rate, speed, and distance monitoring in a consumer-friendly package, without compromising quality.“It’s very important that a consumer gets the same quality as a fireman or soldier is getting,” Russell says.

Zephyr’s technology has uses that go beyond fitness. On the battlefield, changes in vital signs can indicate if a soldier is injured, alerting medics more quickly than a radio call. The BioHarness continuously transmits data to the rescue vehicle and field hospital so that when the injured soldier arrives, doctors are up-to-date on the patient’s medical status. Similarly, the technology allows doctors to monitor patients in their homes or in nursing facilities.

“Anyone atwho needs medical care can have the BioHarness on and transmit that data over the mobile phone network to the doctor in the hospital,” Russell says.

Zephyr continues to evolve its PSM systems, moving the monitoring technology from straps into shirts and other clothing. In 2012, sports apparel and equipment manufacturer Under Armour plans to release its E39 shirt, which incorporates the Zephyr BioHarness. During the 2011 NFL combine, college football players hoping to be drafted by pro teams wore the shirts during various physical tests. The Zephyr-equipped shirts delivered physiological data not only to NFL scouts, but to fans watching the event on television, who could see immediately how high a prospect jumped, or how fast he ran.

“The athletes loved it,” says Russell. “They thought they were taking part in science fiction.”

Zephyr also continues to work with NASA on research projects, including a study conducted under an International Space Act Agreement to determine indicators of fatigue in commercial airline flight crews. Russell notes that Zephyr’s NASA partnership and U.S.-made technology tells the right kind of story for the Nation’s economic and technological progress.

“Having high technology from NASA and innovation from Zephyr resulting in factory jobs here in America, manufacturing products worn by American first responders, soldiers, and athletes—that’s what we need to drive the economy,” he says. “As a taxpayer, I find it heartening that NASA is so open to these partnerships.”

Zephyr™, BioHarness™, and OmniSense™ are trademarks of Zephyr Technology.

Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.

Zephyr’s Consumer HxM device monitors heart rate, speed, and distance for everyday fitness training.

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs A Skill On Resume

A subject undergoes preflight motion sickness testing in a rotating chair. NASA researchers developed a technique for overcoming the potentially debilitating condition.

Tools Equipment And Paraphernalia For Taking Vital Signs Meme Old Women

Ames Research Center and Zephyr Technology collaborated on a motion-sickness study in the microgravity conditions onboard a parabolic-arc flight. A Zephyr BioHarness monitoring device can be seen on the woman’s left wrist.