NUR 134 VITAL SIGNS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027
handwashing - Answers What is the most effective measure to reduce healthcare-associated
infections?
hand hygiene - Answers ________ _______ is essential for infection control
vital signs - Answers Includes temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen
saturation, and pain
condition, consciousness, activity, cardiovascular/respiratory - Answers Vital signs should be
measured anytime there is a change in pt _________, loss of __________, before/after
surgical/invasive procedures, before/after ________ that may increase risk, before
administering meds that affect _____________/__________ functioning
temperature - Answers balance between heat produced and heat lost
97.0-99.5 - Answers Normal temperature range
rectal, tympanic, temporal - Answers Which locations measure core temperature?
oral, axillary, skin surfaces (temporal) - Answers Which locations measure surface temperature?
98.6 - Answers Normal oral/temporal artery temperature
99.5 - Answers Normal rectal/tympanic temperature
97.7 - Answers Normal axillary temperature
metabolism - Answers What is the primary source of heat production in the body?
Skin - Answers What is the primary source of heat loss in the body?
loss - Answers Mechanisms of transfer such as radiation, convection, evaporation, conduction
are responsible for heat _________
production - Answers Hormones, exercise, and muscle/skeletal movements may be responsible
for heat ___________
hypothalamus - Answers Where is the thermoregulatory center?
True - Answers (T/F) The hypothalamus and mechanisms such as vasodilation and
vasoconstriction all play a role in temperature regulation.
False - Answers (T/F) Men experience more temperature fluctuations than women.
, True - Answers (T/F) Both the very old and very young are more sensitive to environmental
temperature changes.
lower - Answers Older adults typically have a __________ body temperature as hey lose some
thermoregulation control abilities
infants, children - Answers Variations in temperature due to circadian rhythm are greatest in
which population?
increases - Answers Exercise ________ metabolism
rise - Answers Hormonal changes during menses/ovulation cause a slight _____ in body
temperature
menopause - Answers During what endocrine process can temperature fluctuations cause
temperature rises of up to 4 degrees?
hypothermia - Answers occurs when the compensatory response to maintain heat is
overwhelmed by continuous exposure to cold environment; body temperature is below the
lower limit of 97.0
hyperthermia - Answers Abnormally high body temperature
radiation - Answers The diffusion or dissemination of heat by electromagnetic waves
convection - Answers The dissemination of heat by motion between areas of unequal density
evaporation - Answers the conversion of a liquid to a vapor
conduction - Answers the transfer of heat to another object during direct contact
febrile - Answers a person with a fever is said to be ________
pyrexia - Answers fever; increase above normal in body temperature
mechanisms, production - Answers Fever occurs when heat loss _________ are unable to keep
pace with excess heat __________
bacterial, WBC, interferon - Answers Functions of fever include inhibition of ________ growth,
increase _____ production, and stimulates _________ secretion
interferon - Answers virus fighting substance
inflammation - Answers increased WBC production during fever aids in which process?
constant (sustained) - Answers fever pattern in which the patient's temperature remains above
normal
handwashing - Answers What is the most effective measure to reduce healthcare-associated
infections?
hand hygiene - Answers ________ _______ is essential for infection control
vital signs - Answers Includes temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen
saturation, and pain
condition, consciousness, activity, cardiovascular/respiratory - Answers Vital signs should be
measured anytime there is a change in pt _________, loss of __________, before/after
surgical/invasive procedures, before/after ________ that may increase risk, before
administering meds that affect _____________/__________ functioning
temperature - Answers balance between heat produced and heat lost
97.0-99.5 - Answers Normal temperature range
rectal, tympanic, temporal - Answers Which locations measure core temperature?
oral, axillary, skin surfaces (temporal) - Answers Which locations measure surface temperature?
98.6 - Answers Normal oral/temporal artery temperature
99.5 - Answers Normal rectal/tympanic temperature
97.7 - Answers Normal axillary temperature
metabolism - Answers What is the primary source of heat production in the body?
Skin - Answers What is the primary source of heat loss in the body?
loss - Answers Mechanisms of transfer such as radiation, convection, evaporation, conduction
are responsible for heat _________
production - Answers Hormones, exercise, and muscle/skeletal movements may be responsible
for heat ___________
hypothalamus - Answers Where is the thermoregulatory center?
True - Answers (T/F) The hypothalamus and mechanisms such as vasodilation and
vasoconstriction all play a role in temperature regulation.
False - Answers (T/F) Men experience more temperature fluctuations than women.
, True - Answers (T/F) Both the very old and very young are more sensitive to environmental
temperature changes.
lower - Answers Older adults typically have a __________ body temperature as hey lose some
thermoregulation control abilities
infants, children - Answers Variations in temperature due to circadian rhythm are greatest in
which population?
increases - Answers Exercise ________ metabolism
rise - Answers Hormonal changes during menses/ovulation cause a slight _____ in body
temperature
menopause - Answers During what endocrine process can temperature fluctuations cause
temperature rises of up to 4 degrees?
hypothermia - Answers occurs when the compensatory response to maintain heat is
overwhelmed by continuous exposure to cold environment; body temperature is below the
lower limit of 97.0
hyperthermia - Answers Abnormally high body temperature
radiation - Answers The diffusion or dissemination of heat by electromagnetic waves
convection - Answers The dissemination of heat by motion between areas of unequal density
evaporation - Answers the conversion of a liquid to a vapor
conduction - Answers the transfer of heat to another object during direct contact
febrile - Answers a person with a fever is said to be ________
pyrexia - Answers fever; increase above normal in body temperature
mechanisms, production - Answers Fever occurs when heat loss _________ are unable to keep
pace with excess heat __________
bacterial, WBC, interferon - Answers Functions of fever include inhibition of ________ growth,
increase _____ production, and stimulates _________ secretion
interferon - Answers virus fighting substance
inflammation - Answers increased WBC production during fever aids in which process?
constant (sustained) - Answers fever pattern in which the patient's temperature remains above
normal
