Vital Sign Interpretation in Acute Care Rehabilitation
Presented by Ashley Poole
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Nonfinancial: Ashley Poole is a part of the American Physical Therapy Association. She is also a part of the Academy of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy, the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy, and the Academy of Education. She has no competing nonfinancial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
Due to medical advances and emerging research, patients are living longer with more complex medical needs. As a result, practitioners are treating and mobilizing patients with increasingly complex needs in the acute care setting. It is important that rehab practitioners possess a solid understanding of vital signs in order to monitor the hemodynamic stability of their patients and determine a safe plan of care. This course will guide practitioners in vital sign interpretation to determine a patient’s readiness for activity, tolerance to activity, and risk for adverse events. Normal and abnormal vital sign responses to exercise will be covered, as well as clinical considerations for special populations. Information in this course could be applicable to any health profession, including physical therapy and occupational therapy, that treats and mobilizes patients in the acute care setting.
Meet your instructor
Ashley Poole
Ashley Poole, PT, DPT, holds a full-time faculty appointment in the Doctor of Physical Therapy division at Duke University. She has more than 20 years of clinical practice experience and was awarded board certification as a cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Overview of Vital Signs
This chapter will provide an overall understanding of vital signs in the acute care setting. It is important for a rehab practitioner in the hospital to have an awareness of the normative values for heart rate/pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. This chapter will guide rehab practitioners in accurate assessment, early warning systems, factors that affect vital signs, and safe parameters for exercise.
2. Heart Rate, Pulse Rate, and Blood Pressure
This chapter will examine normal and abnormal values for heart rate, pulse rate, and blood pressure, including the clinical significance of these abnormalities. Response to exercise and clinical considerations will also be covered in this chapter. It is important for practitioners to identify abnormal heart rate, pulse rate, and blood pressure responses and their clinical implications to optimize patient safety and outcomes.
3. Respiratory Rate and Oxygen Saturation
This chapter will examine normal and abnormal values for respiratory rate and oxygen saturation, including the clinical significance of these abnormalities. Response to exercise and clinical considerations will also be covered in this chapter. It is important for practitioners to identify abnormal respiratory rate and oxygen saturation responses and their clinical implications to optimize patient safety and outcomes.
4. Vital Signs: Special Considerations
This chapter will examine special populations and additional considerations for vital sign interpretation. Vital signs may be altered in older adults and patients with known disease. In addition, patients with critical illness usually have multiple medical problems requiring special considerations. Acute care rehab practitioners should be equipped to interpret vital signs and make complex clinical decisions for all patients, including those with special considerations, to optimize patient safety and outcomes.
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Management of Oxygen Delivery Devices in Acute Care Rehabilitation
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Interpretation of Lab Values in Acute Care Rehabilitation
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Acute Care Overview for the Rehab Practitioner
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Pharmacology in Acute Care Rehabilitation
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Patient Safety and the Environment in Acute Care Rehabilitation
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Vital Sign Interpretation in Acute Care Rehabilitation
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