LWW S Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)

LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)

Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins’ Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)Lesson Plans

Part III. The Clinical Medical Assistant

Unit Four: Fundamentals of Clinical Medical Assisting

Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs

Name______Date ______

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Figures, Tables, and Features

Resources and

In-Class Activities

Instructor’s Notes

Content / Competency / Text / PPt
Anthropometric Measurements
Weight
Height / CAAHEP Standard:
Anatomy and Physiology: I. C. I.8. Discuss implications for disease and disability when homeostasis is not maintained.
I. P. I. 6. Perform patient screening using established protocols. / 387–388 / 9–13 / Fig. 19-1: The three types of scales used in medical offices include the digital, dial, and balance scale, p. 388.
Fig. 19-2: A wall-mounted device to measure height and the sliding bar on the balance scale, p. 388. / In-Class Activities:
Procedure 19-1:Measuring Weight, pp. 401–402.
Procedure 19-2:Measuring Height, p. 403.

Legend: SR: Student Resources on thePoint; IR: Instructor’s Resource Center on thePoint; PPt: PowerPoint; SG: Study Guide.

Outside Assignments/Evaluation:

Checkpoint Question1: Why is it important to accurately measure vital signs at every patient visit?

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-1

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-2
Name______Date ______

Estimated Time: 45 minutes

Figures, Tables, and Features

Resources and

In-Class Activities

Instructor’s Notes

Content / Competency / Text / PPt
Vital Signs
Temperature
Pulse
Respiration
Blood Pressure / CAAHEP Standard:
Anatomy and Physiology: I. C. I.8. Discuss implications for disease and disability when homeostasis is not maintained.
I. P. I. 1. Obtain vital signs.
I. A. I. 1. Apply critical thinking skills in performing patient assessment and care. / 388–399 / 14–62 / Fig. 19-3: Factors affecting the balance between heat loss and heat production, p. 388.
Table 19-1: Mechanisms of Heat Transfer, p. 389.
Box 19-1: Temperature Comparisons, p. 389.
Fig. 19-4: A temporal artery scanning thermometer, p. 390.
Table 19-2: Variations in Fever Patterns: Temperature Comparisons, p. 390.
Fig. 19-5: Glass mercury thermometers, p. 391.
Fig. 19-6: The two glass thermometers on the top are calibrated in the Celsius (centigrade) scale, and the two on the bottom use the Fahrenheit scale, p. 392.
Fig. 19-7: Two types of electronic thermometers and probes, p. 392.
Fig. 19-8: The tympanic thermometer in use, p. 392.
Fig. 19-9: Disposable paper thermometer, p. 393.
Fig. 19-10: Sites for palpation of peripheral pulses, p. 394.
Fig. 19-11: Measuring a radial pulse, p. 395.
Fig. 19-12: Measuring an apical pulse, p. 395.
Fig. 19-13: The dorsalis pedis pulse being auscultated using a Doppler device, p. 395.
Table 19-3: Variations in Pulse Rate by Age, p. 395.
Table 19-4: Factors Affecting Pulse Rates, p. 396.
Fig. 19-14: The apical pulse is found at the 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line, p. 396.
Table 19-5: Variations in Respiration Ranges by Age, p. 396.
Table 19-6: Blood Pressure Readings, p. 397.
Fig. 19-15: A mercury column sphygmomanometer and an aneroid sphygmomanometer, p. 397.
Table 19-7: Five Phases of Blood Pressure, p. 398.
Fig. 19-16: Choosing the right blood pressure cuff, p. 399.
Fig. 19-17: Three sizes of blood pressure cuffs (from left): a large cuff for obese adults, a normal adult cuff, and a pediatric cuff, p. 399.
Box 19-2: Causes of Errors in Blood Pressure Readings, p. 399. / In-Class Activities:
Read/Discuss “Patient Education” box:Fever, p. 391.
Warm-Ups for Critical Thinking question 1:You are asked to teach a patient, Mr. Stone, how to take his blood pressure at home once in the morning and once at night and record these readings for 1 month. Create a patient education brochure that explains the procedure in understandable terms and design a sheet that Mr. Stone can easily use to record these readings.
Warm-Ups for Critical Thinking question 2: Ms. Black arrived at the office late for her appointment; she was frantic and explained that she had experienced car trouble on the way to the office, could not find a parking place, and just locked her keys inside her car. How would you expect these events to affect her vital signs? Explain why.
Warm-Ups for Critical Thinking question 3: What size of cuff would you choose for Mrs. Cooper, an elderly female patient who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs approximately 90 pounds? Why?
Warm-Ups for Critical Thinking question 4: How would you respond to a patient who asks you to give advice on what type of thermometer to buy for use at home? Would the age of the patient be relevant with regard to the type of thermometer you might suggest?
Warm-Ups for Critical Thinking question 5: An elderly male patient tells you that he is considering stopping the blood pressure medication the physician ordered at the previous visit. He further explains that he has “read all about this drug on the internet,” and he informs you that “it has side effects,” although he denies experiencing any at this time. Describe how you would handle this situation.
Procedure 19-3:Measuring Oral Temperature Using a Glass Thermometer, pp. 404–406.
Procedure 19-4:Measuring a Rectal Temperature, pp. 407–408.
Procedure 19-5:Measuring an Axillary Temperature, pp. 409–410.
Procedure 19-6:Measuring Temperature Using an Electronic Thermometer, pp. 410–411.
Procedure 19-7:Measuring Temperature Using a Tympanic Thermometer, pp. 411–412.
Procedure 19-8:Measuring Temperature Using a Temporal Artery Thermometer, pp. 412–413.
Read/Discuss “Patient Education” box: Hypertension, p. 399.
Procedure 19-9: Measuring the Radial Pulse, p. 414.
Procedure 19-10:Measuring Respirations, p. 415.
Procedure 19-11:Measuring Blood Pressure, pp. 416–419.
Read/Discuss “What If?’ p. 398.
Complete Triage exercise, p. 400.
Have students in small groups take baseline vital signs on each other, then again after each group participates in a different activity, e.g., vigorous exercise, drinking cold water, lying down. Discuss the different results.
Resources:
Appendix G
Video:Measuring Weight (Procedure 19-1)
Video: Measuring Height (Procedure 19-2)
Video: Measuring Temperature Using an Electronic Thermometer(Procedure 19-6)
• Video: Measuring Temperature Using a Tympanic Thermometer (Procedure 19-7)
Video: Measuring Temperature Using a Temporal Thermometer (Procedure 19-8)
Video: Measuring the Radial Pulse (Procedure 19-9)
Video: Measuring Respirations (Procedure 19-10)
Video: Measuring Blood Pressure (Procedure 19-11)
Animation: Breathing Sounds
Animation: Cardiac Cycle
Animation: Hypertension
National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation

American Society of Hypertension

American Lung Association

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

American Heart Association

Legend: SR: Student Resources on thePoint; IR: Instructor’s Resource Center on thePoint; PPt: PowerPoint; SG: Study Guide.

Outside Assignments/Evaluation:

Checkpoint Question2: How does an oral temperature measurement differ from a rectal measurement? Why?

Checkpoint Question3: Explain why the body temperature of a young child may be different from that of an adult.

Checkpoint Question4: How is the reading displayed on an electronic, tympanic, and temporal artery thermometer?

Checkpoint Question5: What characteristics of a patient’s pulse should be assessed, and how should they be recorded in the medical record?

Checkpoint Question 6: What happens within the chest cavity when the diaphragm contracts?

Checkpoint Question7: What is happening to the heart during systole? During diastole?

Checkpoint Question8: How are the pulse pressure and the auscultatory gap different?

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-3

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-4

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-5

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-6

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-7

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-8

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-9

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-10

Competency Evaluation Form for Procedure 19-11