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
Content
Anthropometric Measurements
Weight
Height
Competency
Text
PPt
CAAHEP Standard:
Anatomy and Physiology: I.
C. I.8. Discuss implications
for disease and disability
when homeostasis is not
maintained.
387–
388
9–13
I. P. I. 6. Perform patient
screening using
established protocols.
Figures, Tables, and
Features
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.
Resources and
In-Class Activities
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 Question 1: 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
Page 19-1
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Name____________________________________ Date ___________________
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Content
Vital Signs
Temperature
Pulse
Competency
Text
PPt
CAAHEP Standard:
Anatomy and Physiology: I.
C. I.8. Discuss implications
for disease and disability
when homeostasis is not
maintained.
388–
399
14–62
Respiration
Figures, Tables, and
Features
Fig. 19-3: Factors
affecting the balance
between heat loss and
heat production, p. 388.
In-Class Activities:
Read/Discuss “Patient
Education” box: Fever, p.
391.
Table 19-1: Mechanisms
of Heat Transfer, p. 389.
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.
I. P. I. 1. Obtain vital signs.
Blood Pressure
I. A. I. 1. Apply critical
thinking skills in performing
patient assessment and
care.
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.
Page 19-2
Resources and
In-Class Activities
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
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
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Content
Competency
Text
PPt
Figures, Tables, and
Features
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.
Page 19-3
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Resources and
In-Class Activities
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–
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Content
Competency
Text
PPt
Figures, Tables, and
Features
Resources and
In-Class Activities
397.
408.
Table 19-7: Five Phases
of Blood Pressure, p. 398.
Procedure 19-5:
Measuring an Axillary
Temperature, pp. 409–
410.
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.
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.
Page 19-4
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Content
Competency
Text
PPt
Figures, Tables, and
Features
Resources and
In-Class Activities
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
Page 19-5
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Content
Competency
Text
PPt
Figures, Tables, and
Features
Resources and
In-Class Activities
19-10)
Video: Measuring Blood
Pressure (Procedure 1911)
Animation: Breathing
Sounds
Animation: Cardiac Cycle
Animation: Hypertension
National Reye’s Syndrome
Foundation
http://www.reyessyndrome.
org
American Society of
Hypertension
http://www.ash-us.org
American Lung
Association
http://www.lungusa.org
National Heart Lung and
Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
American Heart
Association
http://www.heart.org/HEAR
TORG
Legend: SR: Student Resources on thePoint; IR: Instructor’s Resource Center on thePoint; PPt: PowerPoint; SG: Study Guide.
Outside Assignments/Evaluation:
Checkpoint Question 2: How does an oral temperature measurement differ from a rectal measurement? Why?
Checkpoint Question 3: Explain why the body temperature of a young child may be different from that of an adult.
Checkpoint Question 4: How is the reading displayed on an electronic, tympanic, and temporal artery thermometer?
Checkpoint Question 5: What characteristics of a patient’s pulse should be assessed, and how should they be recorded in the
medical record?
Page 19-6
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Instructor’s Notes
LWW’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 19 — Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
Checkpoint Question 6: What happens within the chest cavity when the diaphragm contracts?
Checkpoint Question 7: What is happening to the heart during systole? During diastole?
Checkpoint Question 8: 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
Page 19-7
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins