Editing Pediatric Nursing – LPN Flashcards (section)

== Measurement and vital signs ==

;How long should the LPN count respirations in an infant, and when?
:For a full 60 seconds, because infant breathing is irregular. Count before undressing or otherwise disturbing the infant, since crying raises the rate.

;Which pulse is taken in a child under 2 years, and for how long?
:The apical pulse, counted for one full minute with a stethoscope at the point of maximal impulse.

;How is head circumference measured, and until what age is it routinely tracked?
:With a paper tape at the widest point, just above the eyebrows and over the occipital prominence. It is measured routinely through 36 months.

;What happens if the blood pressure cuff is too small?
:It produces a falsely high reading. The cuff bladder width should cover about 40 percent of the arm circumference and the bladder should encircle 80 to 100 percent of the arm.

;Give approximate normal heart rate and respiratory rate ranges for an infant and for a school-age child.
:Infant, heart rate about 100 to 180 beats per minute and respiratory rate about 30 to 53 breaths per minute. School-age child, heart rate about 75 to 118 beats per minute and respiratory rate about 18 to 25 breaths per minute.

;What temperature in an infant younger than 28 days must be reported immediately?
:A rectal temperature of 38.0 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. Young infants can be seriously infected with no other signs, so this is reported to the RN right away.

;How does the LPN measure urine output in a diapered infant?
:By weighing the diaper. One gram of weight above the dry diaper weight equals 1 mL of urine.