Vital Signs UPDATED Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Normal range for adult PULSE - CORRECT ANSWER - 60 to 100 beats per minute
Pulse (P) - CORRECT ANSWER - heart beats per minute
Respiration (R) - CORRECT ANSWER - breaths per minute, one respiration = inhalation AND
expiration
Normal range for adult RESPIRATIONS - CORRECT ANSWER - 12 to 20 breaths per minute
Inspiration - CORRECT ANSWER - breathing air INTO the lungs
Expiration - CORRECT ANSWER - exhaling air OUT of the lungs
Brachial Pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site involved when checking blood pressure,
located inside of the elbow on pinkie side, 1 inch above elbow.
Temperature (T) - CORRECT ANSWER - vital sign that reflects balance between heat created by
our body & heat lost to the environment.
Rectal temperature - CORRECT ANSWER - most accurate location for temperature measurement,
an invasive procedure, use the RED thermometer; temp usually 1 degree higher than oral
4 different locations for temperature check - CORRECT ANSWER - oral, tympanic, axillary, and
rectal.
carotid pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site on neck, often used during CPR for pulse check
, Radial pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - location to check adult pulse, located on thumb side of the
wrist.
Apical pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site that requires a STETHOSCOPE to listen to the
pulse directly over the heart.
Stethoscope - CORRECT ANSWER - instrument designed to listen to sounds within the body,
such as heart beat and breath sounds.
axillary - CORRECT ANSWER - armpit; temp usually 1 degree lower than oral
Blood pressure (BP) - CORRECT ANSWER - a vital sign measurement that shows how well the
heart is working; the pressure of the blood on the veins and arteries; there are two phases or
measurements.
Systolic blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - top number of blood pressure recording, the 1st
sound you hear when listening to a blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - bottom number of blood pressure recording, the
last sound you hear when listening to a blood pressure
Hypertension - CORRECT ANSWER - high blood pressure, systolic greater than 140 mmHg,
diastolic greater than 90
Hypotension - CORRECT ANSWER - low blood pressure
Sphygmomanometer - CORRECT ANSWER - Blood pressure cuff
tympanic - CORRECT ANSWER - ear, location to check temperature
systole - CORRECT ANSWER - phase of the heart beat when the heart is AT WORK , contracting
and pushing blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
CORRECT Answers
Normal range for adult PULSE - CORRECT ANSWER - 60 to 100 beats per minute
Pulse (P) - CORRECT ANSWER - heart beats per minute
Respiration (R) - CORRECT ANSWER - breaths per minute, one respiration = inhalation AND
expiration
Normal range for adult RESPIRATIONS - CORRECT ANSWER - 12 to 20 breaths per minute
Inspiration - CORRECT ANSWER - breathing air INTO the lungs
Expiration - CORRECT ANSWER - exhaling air OUT of the lungs
Brachial Pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site involved when checking blood pressure,
located inside of the elbow on pinkie side, 1 inch above elbow.
Temperature (T) - CORRECT ANSWER - vital sign that reflects balance between heat created by
our body & heat lost to the environment.
Rectal temperature - CORRECT ANSWER - most accurate location for temperature measurement,
an invasive procedure, use the RED thermometer; temp usually 1 degree higher than oral
4 different locations for temperature check - CORRECT ANSWER - oral, tympanic, axillary, and
rectal.
carotid pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site on neck, often used during CPR for pulse check
, Radial pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - location to check adult pulse, located on thumb side of the
wrist.
Apical pulse - CORRECT ANSWER - pulse site that requires a STETHOSCOPE to listen to the
pulse directly over the heart.
Stethoscope - CORRECT ANSWER - instrument designed to listen to sounds within the body,
such as heart beat and breath sounds.
axillary - CORRECT ANSWER - armpit; temp usually 1 degree lower than oral
Blood pressure (BP) - CORRECT ANSWER - a vital sign measurement that shows how well the
heart is working; the pressure of the blood on the veins and arteries; there are two phases or
measurements.
Systolic blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - top number of blood pressure recording, the 1st
sound you hear when listening to a blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - bottom number of blood pressure recording, the
last sound you hear when listening to a blood pressure
Hypertension - CORRECT ANSWER - high blood pressure, systolic greater than 140 mmHg,
diastolic greater than 90
Hypotension - CORRECT ANSWER - low blood pressure
Sphygmomanometer - CORRECT ANSWER - Blood pressure cuff
tympanic - CORRECT ANSWER - ear, location to check temperature
systole - CORRECT ANSWER - phase of the heart beat when the heart is AT WORK , contracting
and pushing blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
