VITAL SIGNSMedical Foundations

Vital Signs (Signs of Life)

•Temperature•Pulse

•Respirations•Oxygen Concentration

•Pupils•Blood Pressure

TEMPERATURE

•afebrile ▫a = without, febrile = fever

• hypothermia▫Below 950 F

•pyrexia▫Above normal temperature

•pyrogenic▫Anything that causes fever

Types of Thermometers•Aural (ear)•Temporal Artery (forehead)•Chemically Treated Paper or Plastic•Electronic/Digital Thermometer

Sites to Take Body Temperature•Oral: mouth

▫Simple and most common, convenient, and comfortable site. Ranges from 97.60 to 99.60

•Rectal: above the anus▫Used on young patients or those who mouth

breathe. Most accurate. Ranges from 98.60 to 100.60

•Aural: ear canal▫Accurate, easy to use. Normal is 98.60

•Axillary: armpit▫Least accurate. Normal range is 96.60 to 98.60

Use this site if the first three are not available.

PULSE•Definition = pressure of the blood on the walls

of arteries as the heart contracts and relaxes•Throbbing pattern; indicates how well the

blood is circulating around the body• Measured in beats per minute (bpm)•Count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 = 60

seconds•Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 = 60

seconds

temple

neck

apex of the heart

inside elbow

wrist

groin

back of knee

top of foot

Pulse

Sites

PULSE CHARACTERISTICS•Rate: number of beats per minute

▫Normal 60-100 beats per minute▫Over 100 = tachycardia▫Under 60 = bradycardia

•Rhythm: regularity of beats▫steady or uneven?▫irregular pulse = arrhythmia

•Volume: strength of pulse ▫bounding = forceful▫thready = weak

RESPIRATIONS

•Taking oxygen (O2) into the body▫Inhale, inspiration, breathing in

•Expelling carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the body▫Exhale, expiration, breathing out

• 1 breath in + 1 breath out = 1 respiration

•Watch the chest rise and fall.•*Do not let the patient know that you are

measuring his/her respiratory rate or they may not breathe normally.

RESPIRATORY CHARACTERISTICS

•Rate = number per minute▫Normal is 12-20 per minute

•Rhythm = regularity of breathing•Quality = amount of air exchanged and

effort it takes to breathe

RESPIRATORY CHARACTERISTICS

•Dyspnea▫shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

•Tachypnea ▫abnormally fast breathing

•Apnea ▫no breathing present

•Cheyne-Stokes ▫labored breathing followed by apnea

•Rales ▫bubbling or rattling sounds

OXYGEN CONCENTRATION•Pulse oximeter = measures oxygen in

arteries by passing infrared light through vascular bed▫Fingertip, ear lobe, bridge of nose, or toe

•Indicator of respiratory and cardiac condition▫Normal is 95 – 100% oxygen▫Below 90% calls for oxygen treatment

PUPILS

Pupil size can change from 2 millimeters to 8 millimeters. This means that by changing the size of the pupil, the eye can change the amount of light that enters it by 30 times.

P.E.A.R.L.

PUPIL SIZEGlaucoma: mid-dilated pupil may be a signAneurysm: dilated pupilBrain tumor: problems within the pupilRecreational drug use: dilated or constrictedMedications: dilated pupils Head trauma: unequal pupils Cluster headaches: constricted pupil Stroke: changes in the sizeSyphilis: small, unequal, misshapen pupils that constrict with near focusing but do not react normally to light

BLOOD PRESSURE

Tips for Taking Blood Pressure