Cardiovascular Assessment Worksheet (Student) (guided notes to be used as a study guide)
**Complete the practice “Blood Flow of the Heart” worksheets and review answer keys** - it is your responsibility to understand the blood flow of the heart**
Assessment Page Skill How do I perform the What are the “Expected Findings”? What does this tell you about your pa
Technique assessment?
Inspection 473 Anterior Chest (apical Look for pulsations at May not be visible If visible in an adult, may indicate vent
impulse/inspection) the 4th-5th ICS at Seen easiest in children and thin adults
midclavicular line
Alertness/Orientation Oriented x3 Alerted x3 They have adequate brain profusion
Asking the patient: If they are disoriented and not alert, th
their name, place and
time
481 Jugular Vein Distention Enlargement of the Distended when patient lying flat Common cause is right sided heart fail
(JVD) jugular veins in an Unexpected findings: distended when patient
upright position upright
We inspect the When the patient is upright greater than 30 or
patient’s neck with the 40 degrees, they have to be upright for it to be
patient sitting in the an unexpected finding
upright position No visible jugular veins in the upright position
greater than 30 or 45
degrees
513 Skin/Nail Color We might have to put Any mucus membranes would be pink The patient’s getting adequate perfusi
on gloves and have Skin color would be consistent with the patient’s If the patient has hypoxemia, which is
patients pull down ethnicity The patient is anemic with a lack of re
their lip to see their Unexpected findings: signs of cyanosis which is
mucus membranes that dusky gray blue color and it might only be
Look at their skin color visible in the mucus membranes
and see if it is Pallor – pale color
conjunctiva
Color of nail beds
Palpation 473- Apical Impulse/palpation We can palpate for an Not palpable in obese or thick chest walled If we feel it when we palpate in that sa
4 (here, you feel the same apical pulse by turning persons like bodybuilder
area that you inspected) the patient on their You may feel pulsations
left side or having
them lean forward
Place your hand
between the fourth
and fifth intercostal
,spaces
Ask the client to
exhale and then hold
, their breath and you
may feel a pulsation
Peripheral pulses: know Besides counting the Think SAR…
462, locations heart rate, when we Symmetry (are vessels equal?) Symmetry – the vascular chair is the sa
513- Carotid *Safety= only 1 at a are checking pulses to Symmetrical or asymmetrical Their vessels are the same and there’s
19 time* check circulation Amplitude (force or pumping action depends on Amplitude – a pulse of only one amplit
Brachial (used for BP)
Radial When we are checking blood volume) blood volume or maybe a narrowed ve
Popliteal pulses, we are using 3+ Increased, full, bounding If perhaps we felt weak pulse and only
Posterior tibial the pads of the 2 to 3 2+ Expected We hear a pulse of 3+, if a patient has
Dorsalis pedis (pedal) fingertips 1+ Weak, thread (shock) anxious, or maybe they just exercised
Why use a doppler? p. 521
We’re lightly pressing 0 Absent (meaning no pulse) If a pulse is truly absent, we’re going t
these over the pulse Rhythm (Regularity of conduction system of cool or cold to touch because they are
site heart) regular or irregular Also, the color would be pale or perha
You might need a Rhythm – irregular, which can be caus
doppler to obtain the Rate – know expected pulse ranges Most common irregular heartbeat is c
pulse (See table below –
will learn to count radial pulses in Skills Course)
The doppler will help Rate – know unexpected pulse ranges
Typical heart rate for an adult will be 60-100
us to hear the pulse,
bpm (beats per minute)
the swish swish noise
of the pulse to know
it’s there, but we will
not be able to feel the
pulse
Doppler: put on
conduction gel and
used for audible sound
517 Skin temperature Use the dorsal side The skin will be warm and dry This gives me good information about
Skin turgor (that’s the back of our The skin should snap readily back to its normal So, coolness may indicate lack of blood
hands) because the position Perhaps they have arterial insufficienc
skin is thinner and The patient’s well hydrated and if the
more sensitive to is more than likely dehydrated or has
temperature changes
and we should do it at
the same time to
check for symmetry
Start at mid-thigh and
**Complete the practice “Blood Flow of the Heart” worksheets and review answer keys** - it is your responsibility to understand the blood flow of the heart**
Assessment Page Skill How do I perform the What are the “Expected Findings”? What does this tell you about your pa
Technique assessment?
Inspection 473 Anterior Chest (apical Look for pulsations at May not be visible If visible in an adult, may indicate vent
impulse/inspection) the 4th-5th ICS at Seen easiest in children and thin adults
midclavicular line
Alertness/Orientation Oriented x3 Alerted x3 They have adequate brain profusion
Asking the patient: If they are disoriented and not alert, th
their name, place and
time
481 Jugular Vein Distention Enlargement of the Distended when patient lying flat Common cause is right sided heart fail
(JVD) jugular veins in an Unexpected findings: distended when patient
upright position upright
We inspect the When the patient is upright greater than 30 or
patient’s neck with the 40 degrees, they have to be upright for it to be
patient sitting in the an unexpected finding
upright position No visible jugular veins in the upright position
greater than 30 or 45
degrees
513 Skin/Nail Color We might have to put Any mucus membranes would be pink The patient’s getting adequate perfusi
on gloves and have Skin color would be consistent with the patient’s If the patient has hypoxemia, which is
patients pull down ethnicity The patient is anemic with a lack of re
their lip to see their Unexpected findings: signs of cyanosis which is
mucus membranes that dusky gray blue color and it might only be
Look at their skin color visible in the mucus membranes
and see if it is Pallor – pale color
conjunctiva
Color of nail beds
Palpation 473- Apical Impulse/palpation We can palpate for an Not palpable in obese or thick chest walled If we feel it when we palpate in that sa
4 (here, you feel the same apical pulse by turning persons like bodybuilder
area that you inspected) the patient on their You may feel pulsations
left side or having
them lean forward
Place your hand
between the fourth
and fifth intercostal
,spaces
Ask the client to
exhale and then hold
, their breath and you
may feel a pulsation
Peripheral pulses: know Besides counting the Think SAR…
462, locations heart rate, when we Symmetry (are vessels equal?) Symmetry – the vascular chair is the sa
513- Carotid *Safety= only 1 at a are checking pulses to Symmetrical or asymmetrical Their vessels are the same and there’s
19 time* check circulation Amplitude (force or pumping action depends on Amplitude – a pulse of only one amplit
Brachial (used for BP)
Radial When we are checking blood volume) blood volume or maybe a narrowed ve
Popliteal pulses, we are using 3+ Increased, full, bounding If perhaps we felt weak pulse and only
Posterior tibial the pads of the 2 to 3 2+ Expected We hear a pulse of 3+, if a patient has
Dorsalis pedis (pedal) fingertips 1+ Weak, thread (shock) anxious, or maybe they just exercised
Why use a doppler? p. 521
We’re lightly pressing 0 Absent (meaning no pulse) If a pulse is truly absent, we’re going t
these over the pulse Rhythm (Regularity of conduction system of cool or cold to touch because they are
site heart) regular or irregular Also, the color would be pale or perha
You might need a Rhythm – irregular, which can be caus
doppler to obtain the Rate – know expected pulse ranges Most common irregular heartbeat is c
pulse (See table below –
will learn to count radial pulses in Skills Course)
The doppler will help Rate – know unexpected pulse ranges
Typical heart rate for an adult will be 60-100
us to hear the pulse,
bpm (beats per minute)
the swish swish noise
of the pulse to know
it’s there, but we will
not be able to feel the
pulse
Doppler: put on
conduction gel and
used for audible sound
517 Skin temperature Use the dorsal side The skin will be warm and dry This gives me good information about
Skin turgor (that’s the back of our The skin should snap readily back to its normal So, coolness may indicate lack of blood
hands) because the position Perhaps they have arterial insufficienc
skin is thinner and The patient’s well hydrated and if the
more sensitive to is more than likely dehydrated or has
temperature changes
and we should do it at
the same time to
check for symmetry
Start at mid-thigh and
