Online Continuing Education Courses

Vital Signs for the Chiropractic Assistant

• List the components of the vital signs
• Cite normal and abnormal pulse rates
• Define Tachycardia, Bradycardia and Arrhythmia
• Recognize factors that can influence heart rate and rhythm
• Identify common locations for palpating the pulse
• Describe the process for determining the pulse
• Outline the chambers of the heart
• Define systole and diastole
• Explain systolic and diastolic pressure
• Describe the procedure for obtaining the blood pressure
• Define hypertension and hypotension
• Recognize the blood pressure categories as define by the American Heart Association
• List causes and risk factors for hypertension and hypotension
• Recognize the ranges for normal body temperature by location
• Describe the procedure for obtaining body temperature, orally, in the ear and over the forehead
• Summarize the accuracy of the body temperature obtained at different locations
• Define fever, hyperthermia and hypothermia
• List causes and risk factors for fever, hyperthermia and hypothermia
• Define respiration rate
• Cite the normal range of respiration rate at different ages
• Define tachypnea and bradypnea
• List causes and risk factors for tachypnea and bradypnea