6  Taking the pulse
Exercise 1: Read the text and answer the questions below.
1. Where can the pulse be felt easily?
2. What is the pulse rate?
3. How is the pulse measured?
4. Who has a faster pulse rate?
- a man or a woman;
- a baby or an adult;
- a young person or an elderly;
- a person who is working or sleeping;
- a relaxed person or an excited one?
5. What is a normal pulse rate in a newborn infant?
6. Should any abnormalities in the pulse beat be reported to the doctor? Why?
7. Is there any relation between the condition of the patient s heart and the pulse?
Autor: Justyna Kowalczys, 2012
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences.
1. The best site for taking the pulse beat is the patient s & & & & & & & ..
2. When taking the pulse, the & & & ..& & and & & & & & & fingers are put over the pulse.
3. The & & & & & & & . (one of 5 fingers) has its own pulse.
4. In an adult the normal pulse is & & & -& & & .. beats per minute.
5. The pulse rate usually & & & & & & & with age.
6. The pulse rate below & & & beats per minute indicates a serious health problem
Exercise 3: Give the opposites of the following words.
below
easy
female
excited
front
rapid
regular
weak
accelerate
increase
minor
normal
superficial
tachycardia
posterior
Exercise 4: Places to take / check / measure the pulse.
Autor: Justyna Kowalczys, 2012
Exercise 5: Make up dialogues as in the example, using the prompts given below.
Example: A: What was the nurse doing when Dr Briggs entered the room?
B: She was taking the patient s pulse when Dr Briggs entered the room .
1. A: the nurse / do / the patient / faint
B: the nurse / collect the blood sample
2. A: the nurse / do / the lights / go out
B: bandage the patient s leg
3. A: Dr Briggs / do / the nurse / enter the room
B: examine the patient
4. A: Prof. Higgins / do / Dr Martin / enter his office
B: phone Prof. Peterson
5. A: the patient / do / get an asthmatic attack
B: have a short walk in the garden
6. A: the nurse / do / the patient / start to cry
B: give a painful injection
Exercise 6: Study the following abbreviations the doctors use when writing orders for nurses.
Then, write the sentences below in full, as in the example. Some abbreviations from previous classes
have to be used:&
:&.
:&
:&
Example: Urine specimens to lab qd AM. Urine specimens to the laboratory every day in the morning.
1. Shallow rapid breathing q4h for 2d. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
2. Take T and P q2h. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
3. OOB with assistance tid. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
4. Blood sugar q2d AM. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
5. NPO after N. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
6. Chest X-ray stat. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & .
Autor: Justyna Kowalczys, 2012
Exercise 7: Listen to the dialogue between a physician and a nurse at the Cardiology unit.
Fill in the missing words.
Ph: Nurse, I ve ordered to take Mr. Grain s (1)& & & & & & & & & . pulse q1h. Could you please tell me
what the pulse in now.
N: The (2)& & & & & & & & . pulse, taken 5 minutes ago, is 92; (3)& & & & & & & .. and strong.
Ph: Did you notice any (4)& & & & & & & & & & & & . during the night (5)& & & & & & ..?
N: According to the (6)& & & & & & & & & .. report, there were many of them, but without any
(7)& & & & & noted by the patient.
Ph: Give me all the (8)& & & & & & & & of our patient s pulse, please.
N: Of course, doctor. At 1a.m. the (9)& & & & & & & & .. was awake, pulse (10)& & & & & & & & .., rate
108 counting for four minutes.
At 2a.m. the patient was (11)& & & & & & .., pulse regular but weak, rate 72.
At 3a.m. the patient was asleep, a (12)& & & & & & & & but regular pulse noted, rate 88.
At 4a.m. the patient was asleep, (13)& & & & & & & & & & & with the rate of 48 noted.
At 5a.m. a bounding pulse which turned to (14)& & & & & & & & & & & . with the rate of 122. The
(15)& & & & .. was notified and Digoxin 0.125 mg PO was ordered and given. Since then, no more
abnormalities have been (16)& & & & & & &
Ph: Thank you, it was a good decision to order Digoxin for (17)& & & & & & & & & that you had noticed.
Keep (18)& & & & & & & .. his pulse as ordered, please.
N: Okay, doctor, I will.
Exercise 8: Match the places to take a pulse.
1. wrist a. femoral pulse
2. foot b. popliteal pulse
3. head c. apical pulse
4. neck d. tibial pulse
5. heart e. temporal pulse
6. thigh f. radial pulse
7. arm g. pedal pulse
8. knee h. brachial pulse
9. ankle i. carotid pulse
Exercise 9: Translate into English.
1. Tętno mierzone jest na nadgarstku dwoma palcami: wskazującym i środkowym.
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2. Oprócz uderzeń tętna na minutę, pielęgniarka musi zanotować jego charakter i rytm.
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3. Tętno zależy od wieku, płci i pozycji w jakiej znajduje się pacjent.
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4. Ilość uderzeń tętna wzrasta przy zdenerwowaniu, niepokoju i złości.
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5. Normalne tętno u dorosłych wynosi 65-80 uderzeń na minutę i powinno mieć regularny rytm.
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6. Siostro, proszę mierzyć temu pacjentowi tętno co pół godziny.
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7. Jeśli tętno będzie wyższe niż 100/min proszę natychmiast mnie zawiadomić.
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Autor: Justyna Kowalczys, 2012
Exercise 10:Wordbuilding. Change the words in brackets to complete the gaps. Then listen and check.
The pulse is the wave of (1) & & & & & & & & & . (DISTEND) produced in the arteries when the
left ventricle of the heart (2) & & & & & & & & (CONTRACTION) and pumps blood into the aorta. It is
most (3) & & & & & & & .. (EASY) felt where a large superficial artery crosses a bone. The most
(4) & & & & & & & & & . (CONVENIENCE) point is on the anterior surface of the wrist, where the radial
artery (5) & & & & & & & & (CROSSING) the radius.
The pulse rate is the (6) & & & & & & & & & .. (FREQUENT) of the heartbeat. This can
(7) & & & & & & . (VARIOUS) considerably. The normal pulse rate of some adults is as slow as 50 per
minute, and others as fast as 90 per minute: the average is said to be 72. In the (8) & & & & & & & & ..
(INFANCY), the pulse rate can be as rapid as 140.
The pulse volume (9) & & & & & & & & & & & (INDICATION) the amount of blood in
(10) & & & & & & & & & .. (CIRCULATE), and the propulsive power of the heart.
The pulse rhythm is (11) & & & & & & & & . (NORMAL) even in time and force, but
(12) & & & & & & & & & & & (REGULAR) occur in health and in illness. In all cases where irregularities
are noted, the heart apex beat is (13) & & & & & & & .. (COUNT). The apex beat can be
(14) & & & & & & & & & . (LOCATION) in the (15) & & & & & & . (FIVE) intercostal space about two
inches to the left of the sternum.
Exercise 11: Substitute for the expressions in bold and give Polish equivalents.
1. His respiration was accelerated and shallow.
regular and deep / noisy and laboured / interrupted / irregular
2. His pulse was alternating with galloping rhythm.
leaping with pendulum rhythm / intermittent / thready / trembling / unequal
3. The patient s build was short and corpulent.
stocky / tall and slim / medium build / well-built / obese
4. The patient was in anxiety state.
febrile / serious / transitory / epileptic
Exercise 12: Match the words.
1. apical a. rhythm
2. pulse rate b. weak
3. irregular c. peripheral
4. thready pulse d. fast
5. radial pulse e. 72 / minute
6. treat f. disease
7. pumping g. heart
8. tachycardia h. heartbeat
Exercise 13: Translate the following into English.
miejsce badania tętna tętno miarowe
tętno tętnicze fala tętna
częstość tętna niemiarowość tętna
częstoskurcz tętno prawidłowe
rzadkoskurcz tętno naprzemienne
miarowość tętna tętno niemiarowe
Autor: Justyna Kowalczys, 2012