If pain cannot be measured with an instrument, how is it measured? What are five descriptions of pain?

How does the age of a patient affect the body temperature? Pulse? Respiration? B lood pressure? Why is pain considered the fifth vital sign? What is basal metabolic rate or BMR? (It is the rate at which heat is produced w hen the body is at rest) The average BMR depends on the body surface area of the person. What is metabolism? (cellular chemical reactions in the body) What increases BMR ? (obesity, fever, exercise) A child s BMR is higher than an adult s BMR. The hypothalamus, the body s thermostat, is located between the cerebral hemispher es of the brain. What actions increase body heat? (vasoconstrictions, shivering, pathogens or inf ections) What actions decrease body heat? (sweating, circulation of cool air, cool drinks ) What is radiation? (emission of heat) What is conduction? (distribution of heat) What is convection? (circulation of heat) What is evaporation? (air movement of moisture) Rectal, axillary, or tympanic temperatures are preferred for infants, small chil dren, and for patients who are unconscious or uncooperative. A glass thermometer should be used with caution. It is never used orally if the patient is uncooperative or at risk for biting on the thermometer. What two scales are used to measure temperature? The temperature in a healthy young adult averages 98.6 F (37 C). It varies within the normal range as the body adjusts to changes in the amount o f heat produced or the amount of heat lost. Some people run a low-normal or a high-normal temperature consistently; this rep resents the normal body temperature for them. When would you take and oral temperature? The arm may rest on the chest. What may happen if the axilla is wet? When would you take and rectal temperature? When would a rectal temperature be contraindicated? The bulb may be long and slender or blunt like the short, fat bulb used for rect al thermometers. Rectal thermometers often have a red tip or color on the stem to signify that th ey are for rectal use only and should not be used orally. The scale may be calibrated in either Fahrenheit or Celsius degrees, or it may h ave both scales. What is the formula to convert temperature from one scale to the other?When woul d you not want to use this type of measurement? Glass thermometers are read horizontally at eye level. How do you convert reading from Fahrenheit to Celsius? (F 32) x 5/9 = C From Celsius to Fahrenheit? (C x 9/5) + 32 = F Tympanic thermometers have a digital display in degreesNormal temperature is age specific. What causes hyperthermia? (infection or excessive exposure to heat) What causes hypothermia? (prolonged exposure to cold) An error may be a result of an ineffective instrument. A fever is usually a co mmon symptom of infection in which the heightened temperature helps destroy inva ding bacteria. Very high fevers, such as those greater than 105.8 F, or 41 C, cause damage to bod y cells, particularly those of the central nervous system. Why do chills occur? The thermal regulating center in the hypothalamus is greatly impaired when the t emperature of the body falls below 94 F (34.4 C). At this level, the activity of the cells is reduced, less heat is produced, and

sleepiness and coma are apt to develop. Check temperature every 4 hours for a known infection. Check temperature 2 to 4 hours for an infection of unknown origin.