Nursing Quiz 9D Flashcards

Questions and Answers

A blood pressure cuff that is too small for a patient's arm will give a:

Falsely high systolic and diastolic reading. (correct)

Falsely low systolic and diastolic reading.

Falsely low systolic but high diastolic reading.

Falsely high systolic but low diastolic reading.

A decrease in blood pressure may indicate:

Loss of vascular tone. (correct)

Increased blood volume.

Forceful cardiac contraction.

Arterial constriction.

A properly sized blood pressure cuff should cover:

The entire upper arm between the armpit and the crease at the elbow.

One third the length from the armpit to the crease at the elbow.

Two thirds the length from the armpit to the crease at the elbow. (correct)

One half the length between the armpit and the crease at the elbow.

Jugular venous distention suggests a problem with blood returning to the heart if the patient is:

Sitting up at a 45° angle. Signup and view all the answers

When auscultating the blood pressure in a patient's upper extremity, you should place the head of the stethoscope over the _______________ artery.

brachial Signup and view all the answers

The diastolic blood pressure represents the:

Minimum amount of pressure that is always present in the arteries. Signup and view all the answers

The pressure exerted against the walls of the artery when the left ventricle contracts is called the:

Systolic pressure. Signup and view all the answers

When you use the palpation method to obtain a blood pressure, the measurement you obtain is the:

Systolic blood pressure. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements regarding the blood pressure is correct?

Blood pressure is usually not measured in children younger than 3 years of age. Signup and view all the answers

While evaluating a patient with chest pain, your partner tells you that the patient's blood pressure is 140/94 mm Hg. The lower number represents the pressure from the:

Ventricles relaxing. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Blood Pressure Measurement and Interpretation

A blood pressure cuff that is too small yields falsely high readings for both systolic and diastolic pressures.
Decreased blood pressure often indicates a loss of vascular tone, which can affect overall circulation.
The appropriate size for a blood pressure cuff should cover two-thirds of the distance from the armpit to the elbow crease for accurate measurements.

Patient Positioning and Assessment

Jugular venous distention is an indicator of cardiac issues when a patient is sitting at a 45° angle, suggesting difficulties in venous return.
When measuring blood pressure, the stethoscope's head must be placed over the brachial artery in the arm.

Understanding Blood Pressure Values

Diastolic blood pressure reflects the minimum arterial pressure that exists between heartbeats (always present in the arteries).
The systolic pressure is defined as the pressure against arterial walls during left ventricular contraction.
When obtaining blood pressure through palpation, the value measured represents systolic blood pressure.

Pediatric Considerations and Clinical Significance

Blood pressure measurement is generally avoided in children younger than 3 years, due to variability and the potential for inaccurate readings.
In medical evaluations, blood pressure falls early in hypoperfused patients, highlighting its significance in assessing patient status.

Cardiac Cycle Insights

When interpreting blood pressure readings, the lower number (diastolic) corresponds to the ventricles' relaxation phase, indicating arterial pressure during this phase.

Description

Test your knowledge on blood pressure measurements and their interpretations with these flashcards designed for nursing students. The quiz covers important concepts related to blood pressure readings and their clinical implications.