Author Question: During the normal cardiac cycle, blood pressure reaches a peak, followed by a trough, in the cycle. ... (Read 188 times)

evelyn o bentley · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

During the normal cardiac cycle, blood pressure reaches a peak, followed by a trough, in the cycle. What is the peak known as?

a. Pulse pressure
b. Systole
c. Diastole
d. Korotkoff phase

Question 2

Handwashing with soap and water is:

a. the most effective way to reduce the number of bacteria on the nurse's hands.
b. more effective than alcohol-based products for washing hands.
c. necessary for hand hygiene if hands are visibly soiled.
d. not necessary if the nurse wears artificial nails.

zoeyesther · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the vessel walls. During a normal cardiac cycle, blood pressure reaches a peak, followed by a trough, or low point, in the cycle. The peak pressure occurs when the heart's ventricular contraction, or systole, forces blood under high pressure into the aorta. The difference between systolic pressure and diastolic pressure is the pulse pressure. When the ventricles relax, the blood remaining in the arteries exerts a minimum or diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure is the minimal pressure exerted against the arterial wall at all times. As the sphygmomanometer cuff is deflated, the five different sounds heard over an artery are called Korotkoff phases.

Answer to Question 2

C
Soap and water is still necessary for hand hygiene if hands are visibly soiled. Recent research has shown that handwashing with plain soap sometimes results in paradoxical increases in bacterial counts on the skin. Alcohol-based products have been more effective for standard handwashing or hand antisepsis than soap or antiseptic soaps. Studies have shown the efficacy of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in reducing infection in a variety of settings from intensive care to long-term care. Studies have shown that health care workers with chipped nail polish or long or artificial nails have high numbers of bacteria on their fingertips. For this reason, the CDC recommends that health care workers not wear artificial nails and extenders, and that they keep natural nails less than one-quarter of an inch long when caring for high-risk patients.