APICAL PULSE

AXILLARY

BASELINE

BLOOD PRESSURE

BODY TEMPERATURE

CENTIGRADE

DIASTOLIC PRESSURE

FAHRENHEIT

HYPERTENSION

HYPOTENSION

PULSE

PULSE DEFICIT

RADIAL PULSE

RESPIRATION

RESPIRATORY RATE

SPHYGMOMANOMETER

SYSTOLIC PRESSURE

VITAL SIGNS

T=TEMPERATURE

P=PULSE

R=RESPIRATION

TPRs=VITAL SIGNS

(wait 15 “ after exercise)

Common Abbreviations

for Vital Signs*

5th Vital Sign

PAIN

Help Monitor the Body Functions

Doctors and Nurses Rely on Accuracy

Patient Medications Based on TPRs

May be the First Sign of an Emergency

Why TPRs are Very Important

Body Temperature

Respiration

Pulse

Blood Pressure

Functions for Vital Signs

Temperature

Average

adult temp

= 98.6 F

= 37 C

Wait 15”

after hot or

cold

food/fluid/

exercise

The average normal oral temperature is

98.6 °F

A rectal & tympanic (ear) temperature is

0.5°F to 1°F higher than an oral temp

(Most Accurate)

An ear (tympanic) temperature is 0.5°F

to 1°F higher than an oral temp

An armpit (axillary) temperature is

usually 0.5°F to 1°F lower than an oral

temp (Least Accurate)

Temp

Factors which may cause a higher than

average body temp:

Factors which may cause a lower than

average body temp:

If oral an axillary not available

INFANT OR CHILD ½” or less

ADULT 1” – 1 ½”

UNCONSCIOUS

INFLAMMED MOUTH

PRONE TO SEIZURES

RECEIVING OXYGEN

Most common

Vomit or diarrhea

Physical deformities rectal

Rate

Rhythm

Force

Wait 15 “ after exercise, emotional

excitability

Age

Gender

Emotions

Body Position

Medication

Illness

Fever

Physical Activity

Level of Physical Fitness

Pulse

Pulse Points

Carotid

Brachial

Radial

Femoral

Popliteal

Pulse

Pulse Points

Dorsal Pedal

Posterior Tibial

(Posterior and slightly inferior

to medial Malleolus)

PulseRate

Adult

60-90 Beats/minute

Child

80-110 Beats/minute

Infant

120-150 Beats/minute

PulseRhythm or Regularity

Regular

Irregular

Pulse

Quality

Full

Weak (Thready)

Bounding

RespirationsRate

Adult

12-20 Resp/min

Child

20-28 Resp/min

Respirations

Rate

Infant

30-70 Resp/min @ birth

30 Resp/min @ 6 months

Adult

12-20 Resp/min

Respirations

Rhythm

Regular

Irregular

Blood PressureSystolic - Pressure on

the arterial wall when the

heart contracts

Diastolic - Pressure

on the arterial wall when

the heart is at rest

Blood Pressure

Auscultated BP - Listening for both

the systolic and diastolic values

Palpated BP - Feeling for the systolic

pressure

PREPARE PATIENT

APPLY CUFF PROPERLY

USE STETHOSCOPE PROPERLY

READ THE GAUGE

Wait 15 “ after exercise

BLOOD PRESSURE

Avoid arm with IV, Cast, Mastectomy,

Hemodialysis Shunt, Wound etc.

Orthostatic BP

Estimating Blood

PressureRadial Pulse Present?

>80 Systolic

Respiration

Quality

Full

Deep

Shallow

Labored

Noisy

Factors That Affect Rate Age

Gender

Emotional Stress

Medication

Respiratory Illness

Heat & Cold

Physical Activity

Heart Disease

Taken When Patient is Admitted

Weight may be Repeated Each Day

Diet may be Changed Based on

Weight

Ht. and Wt. Used to Compute

Medication Dose

Height (Ht.) and Weight (Wt.)

Measures

NUTRITIONAL STATUS

FLUID BALANCE

KIDNEY & HEART FUNCTION

DISEASE

PRESCRIBED ACCORDING TO BODY SIZE

Standing Scale

Scale with a Mechanical Lift

Bed Scale

Chair scale

Wheelchair scale

Equipment Used for Weight Measurement

Accurately Document Vitals!

Vital SignsDO NOT TREAT

NUMBERS -

TREAT PEOPLE!!!!