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Vital Signs

nadersmadi@hotmail.com
Vital signs
• They are indicators of health status.
• They are:
1. Pulse
2. Temperature
3. Respiration
4. Blood pressure
When to take vital signs??
• On the client admission
• According to hospital policy routine
• Before and after surgery
• Before and after diagnostic procedures
• Before and after certain medications
• When the client is complaining of pain
• When the client is complaining of loss
of consciousness
1. Pulse
• It is an indicator of circulatory status.
• Approximately (60-70)ml of blood enter
the aorta each contraction. (stroke
volume).
• When the pulse wave reaches a
peripheral artery, it can be palpated.
Peripheral pulses
• Radial….. The most common and the easiest.
• Apical….. The best for infants.
• Carotid
• Ulnar
• Femoral
• Dorsalis pedis
• Posterior tibialis
• Popliteal
• The normal range:
(60 – 100) beat/minute.
(regular & palpable)

• Tachycardia: heart rate is more than


100 beet/min.
• Bradycardia: heart rate is less than 60
beat/min.
Pulse problems:
• If irregular: count apical one minute
• Count apical and radial x 1 minute
• Pulse deficit: >2 difference
• Tachycardia: >100 beats/min
• Bradycardia: <60 beats/min
• Abnormal rhythm: dysrhythmia
2. Temperature
• Is the hotness or coldness of the body.
• Is measured by a thermometer.
• Common sites for measuring:
– Mouth
– Rectum
– Axillae

Other sites: (ear, forehead,)


• The normal range:
(36.5 – 37.5) degree centigrade.

Measured by thermometer

• Hyperthermia: temperature is more


than 37.5 DC.
• Hypothermia: temperature is less than
36.5 DC.
Types of thermometers
• Mercury

• Electronic

• Disposable

• Tympanic
• To convert from Fahrenheit to
Centigrade:
DC = (F-32) X 5/9

• To convert from Centigrade to


Fahrenheit :
F = (9/5 X DC) + 32
3. Respiration
• The normal range:
– For adults: (12 – 20) breath/minute.
– For infants: (30 – 50) breath/minute.

For adult
• Tachypnea: respiratory rate is more than 20
breath/min.
• Bradypnea: respiratory rate is less than 12
breath/min.
• Dyspnea: difficulty in breathing.
4. Blood pressure
• Is the force exerted by the blood
against a vessel wall.
• Systole: the left ventricle contracts and
pumps blood into the aorta.
• Diastole: the ventricle relaxes.
• Blood pressure is recorded as:
(systole/diastole) mmHg.
• Pulse pressure is the difference
between systole & diastole.
• The normal range:
systole: 100-140
diastole: 65-95
• Hypertension: blood pressure is more
than 140/95 mmHg.
• Hypotension: blood pressure is less
than 100/65 mmHg.
(Measured by sphygmomanometer &
stethoscope)
Factors influencing
blood pressure
• Age: blood pressure decreases by age.
• Stress: blood pressure increases with
anxiety, fear, emotions.
• Race: blood pressure is higher in
African.
• Medications: diuretics decreases blood
pressure.
• Factors that increase blood pressure:-
– Increased cardiac output.
– Increased vascular resistance.
– Increased blood volume.
– Increased blood viscosity.

• Factors that decrease blood pressure:-


– Decreased cardiac output.
– Decreased vascular resistance.
– Decreased blood volume.
– Decreased blood viscosity.
Vital signs
according to age
Age Pulse Respiration Blood pressure

Newborn 120-160 40-60 80/40 mmHg

1 year 80-140 30-40 82/44

5 years 70-115 20-25 90/52

15 years 70-90 15-20 110/64

Adult 60-100 12-20 120/80

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