NR 302/NR 302-Week 4 Edapt 2023/2024

Pulse rate normally varies with age, being rapid (not slow) in infancy and childhood and decreasing (not increasing) with age.  The rate also varies with gender. After puberty, females (not males) have a slightly faster rate than males (not females).  If a client has a high or low vital sign finding, first verify the abnormal finding by assessing the apical pulse for a full minute.  Notifying the healthcare provider would occur after the finding is verified and a focused assessment completed. The findings should be documented after the focused assessment is completed. Information about the client’s previous heart rate and rhythm can be found in the electronic health record (EHR), so there is no reason to contact the client’s family for additional information. Abnormal Assessment Findings Physiology of Blood Pressure  The diastolic reading, or bottom number, is the pressure in the arteries when the ventricles are at rest. The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is the “pulse pressure.” The pressure in the aortic arch is not measured with blood pressure. The pressure during heart contraction is “systolic” pressure.  The first sound is phase 1 of Korotkoff sounds and reflects the systolic number.  The diastolic pressure is marked when the sound can no longer be heard.  Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements.  An auscultatory gap is an absence of sound suggesting reduced peripheral blood flow. What Are Vital Signs?