Vital Signs
WHAT IS VITAL SIGNS? USe eR
● Vital signs are physical signs that indicate an individual is alive, such as;
● Heartbeat/Heart Rate or Pulse Rate
● Breathing Rate
● Temperature
● Blood Pressure
● Oxygen Saturation
● In short, we can call this BP,TPR & 02 Saturation
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PULSE RATE
CHECKING THE PULSE RATE
● It is a measurement of the heart rate, or the number of times the heart beats per minute.
● As the heart pushes blood through the arteries, the arteries expand and contracts with the
flow of the blood.
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● Normal range of heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute.
● Units used is beats per minute.
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PULSE SITES OF THE HUMAN BODY
CHECKING THE PULSE RATE
Here are the simple steps needed to take a pulse at the wrist. This is known as the radial pulse:
. Turn one hand over, so it is palm-side up
. Use the other hand to place two fingertips index and middle fingers) gently in the groove on
the forearm, down from the fold of the thumb.
. When the position is the right, you should feel the pulsation of your heartbeat.
The radial pulse is felt on the wrist, just under the thumb
CHECKING THE PULSE RATE
. Measure the rate of the pulse (recoded in beats per minute).
. If the rate is particularly slow or fast, it is probably best to measure for a full 60 seconds in
order to minimize the error
RESPIRATORY RATE
The respiration rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute through the process of
inhalation and exhalation.
● Normal range for adult respiration - 12-20
breaths per minute.
● Units used is breaths per minute.
RESPIRATORY RATE
The process of inhaling oxygen (chest rise) and exhaling carbon dioxide (chest relax).
● Major organ of respiration - Lungs
● Major muscle of respiration - Diaphragm
CHECKING THE RESPIRATORY RATE
● Try to do this as surreptitiously (secretly)
as possible.
● Observing the rise and fall of the person's chest while you appear to be taking their pulse.
● They should be counted for I full minute, observing rise and fall of the chest count as one.
CHECKING THE RESPIRATORY RATE
1. Ask the person to rest quietly for a moment.
• try pretending that you're taking their pulse
. Start a timer for 60 seconds and count every time they breathe
. Write down the respiratory count and any relevant details
● A normal respiratory rate for a resting adult is between 1 2-20 breaths every minute.
● For infants up to a year old, a normal respiratory rate is between 30 and 60 breaths per
minute.
● For toddlers ages 1-3, the average rate is 24-40 breaths a minute.
● For children ages 3-6, that number is 22-34 breaths a minute.
For children ages 5-12, the count should be between 18 and 30 breaths each minute
TEMPERATURE
CHECKING THE TEMPERATURE
Body temperature is a measure of how well your body can make and get rid of heat.
Body temperature is measured to:
● Check for fever.
● Check for a very low body temperature in people who have been exposed to cold.
● Check for a very high body temperature in people who have been exposed to heat.
● Find out how well a fever-reducing medicine is working.
● Help a woman plan for pregnancy by finding out if she is ovulating
– Body temperature is defined as the average temperature of the human body.
– Average temperature is estimated at around 37°C
– Normal range of temperature - 36.5 °C - 37.5 °C
– Heat regulating center of the body - Hypothalamus
CHECKING THE TEMPERATURE
Body temperature can be measured in many places on your body.
The most common ones are
Axillary (armpit)
Oral (mouth)
Rectal (anus)
TYPES OF DIGITAL THERMOMETE
– Tympanic thermometer
– Infra-red thermometer
MOST COMMON TYPE OF DIGITAL
THERMOMETER
– Flexible tip thermometer
– BLOOD PRESSURE - IS THE FORCE OF BLOOD PUSHING AGAINST THE WALL OF THE
BLOOD VESSELS
– NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE - LESS 120/80 MILLIMETER MERCURY (mmg)
– UNIT OF MEASUREMENT - MILLIMETER MERCURY (mmHg)
WHAT DO BLOOD PRESSURE NUMBERS MEAN:
● Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:
● The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries
when your heart beats.
● The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure, measures the
pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.
● If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, "120 over 80", or
write, "120/80 mmHg"
INSTRUMENTS TO BE USED:
1. SPHYGMOMANOMETER (BP APPARATUS)
2. STETHOSCOPE
MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
STEPS:
. Check the sphygmomanometer and stethoscope before the procedure.
. Place the BP cuff, 2 inches above the brachial artery.
. Be sure to close the thumbscrew valve before you compress the rubber bulb.
. Place the bell of the stethoscope on the brachial area.
MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
> SITE OF THE BRACHIAL ARTERY
. During compression, observe the manometer and listen on your stethoscope around 60-80
mmg during inflation of the cuff, you will now hear a sound called Korotkoff's sound.
. After hearing the last sound (korotkoffs' sound) you add up another 40mmg as an
allowance.
. Next step would be to slowly release the thumbscrew valve so that the manometer dial drops
down to determine the BP result.
. While releasing the valve, observe the manometer and listen for the sound on your
stethoscope while the cuff deflates; the first sound (korotkoff sound) you heard with
movement of dial is the first reading called systolic pressure.
. And the last sound you heard is the 2nd reading called diastolic pressure.
. Then release the remaining air in the cuff and inform the person of his/her result.
MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
Korotkoff's sound
MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
BLOOD SYSTOLIC(mmig DIASTOLIC(mmi
PRESSURE ) g)
CATEGORY (UPPER (UPPER
NUMBER) NUMBER)
LESS THAN 120 LESS THAN 80
ELEVATED 120 - 129 AND LESS THAN 80
HIGH BLOOD 130--90
80
OR 139
PRESSURE
(HYPERTEN-
SION) STAGE 1
HIGH BLOOD 140OR
90
OR ORHIGHER
HIGHER
PRESSURE
(HYPERTEN-
SION) STAGE 2
HYPERTENSIVE HIGHER THAN AND/OR HIGHER THAN
CRISIS 180 90
(CONSULT
YOUR DOCTOR
IMMEDIATELY)
PULSE OXIMETER
– Measures the proportion of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood in pulsating vessels,
especially the capillaries of the finger or ear.
– Normal range - 98-100%
– Uses of pulse oximetry including:
– to assess how well a new lung medication is working
– to evaluate whether someone needs help breathing
– to determine whether someone needs supplemental oxygen therapy
– to determine how effective supplemental oxygen therapy is, especially when treatment is new
– to assess someone's ability to tolerate increased physical activity
– to evaluate whether someone momentarily stops breathing while sleeping
● like in cases of sleep apnea
● during a sleep study
Reading with a pulse oximeter, you will:
– Remove any jewelry or fingernail polish on your finger if measuring from this location.
– Make sure your hand is warm, relaxed, and below heart level if attaching the device here.
– Place the device on your finger, earlobe, or toe.
– Keep the device on for as long as needed to monitor your pulse and oxygen saturation.
– Remove the device once the test is over.
Example of Pulse oximeter
. Handheld
. Tabletop
. Wearable
