Vital Signs Lesson 11: Evaluation & Assessment

Bell Work What are the regular services you must perform on a car? Why do car owners do this?

Objectives Today you will – Define terms – List vital signs – Measure vital signs

Terminology Vital Sign – a measure of the body’s functions that are necessary for life, such as breathing, heart rate and body temperature Heart Rate – Number of heartbeats measured in a unit of time…most commonly in beats per minute (bpm) Respiration/Breathing – the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation Blood Pressure – A measure of how hard blood is pressing against artery walls. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: the top number is called systolic pressure and the bottom number is called diastolic pressure. Body Temperature – A measure of the body’s internal temperature

Terminology Height – a measure of the body’s erect skeletal system Body Weight – The weight of a person without anything on. Vision – Snellen Chart testing – measures visual acuity. Pulse Oximetery – SpO2 – A monitoring of the oxygenation of an individual’s hemoglobin.

Heart Rate HR is a way to measure the function of the heart and the circulatory system A normal resting rate is between bpm You can measure HR at pulse points where an artery is close to the skin. –R–Radial pulse –C–Carotid pulse Radial Pulse Point Carotid Pulse Point

Heart Rate: Measured Procedure for taking HR: 1. Athlete should be seated & relaxed 2. Place the palm of the athlete facing up 3. Place the tips of the first two fingers over the radial artery (thumb side) and apply very slight pressure. 4. Feel for the pulse as the heart beats. Don’t push too hard. 5. Look at the second hand on your watch and begin counting, starting with zero. 6. Count the athlete’s pulse for 60 seconds and record that number in the SOAP note. - Or take HR for 6 sec and multiply it by 10 to get BPM.

Respiration Respiration is the body’s way to take in oxygen & ridding carbon dioxide. One breath= Inhalation & Exhalation Every cell in the body needs oxygen No oxygen = cell death

Respiration: Measured Athlete is seated and in a relaxed state One inhale and exhale = One respiration Note if athlete is having difficulty breathing Normal Respiration Rate: – breaths/minute

Blood Pressure Measuring the blood’s pressure against the wall of an artery Systolic – BP when the heart contracts Diastolic – BP when the heart relaxes Normal Range – 110 Systolic – Diastolic

Blood Pressure: Measured Athlete needs to be seated, arm extended with palm facing up. Place BP cuff snugly around the athletes arm, just above the elbow. – Middle of cuff (or arrow) must be pointed towards brachial artery Place stethoscope in ears & the diaphragm directly on the brachial artery Hold the diaphragm with one hand, then squeeze the bulb connected to the cuff with the other Inflating the cuff until you cannot hear a pulse (which is about mm Hg) Slowly release the cuff until you hear the first heart beat & note the number seen on dial – Systolic Continue releasing until the last heart beat is heard & note the number on the dial – Diastolic Remove cuff and record numbers!

Core Temperature This internal temp is regulated by the hypothalamus region in the brain. When temperature of the blood decreases, the hypothalamus responds and causes the blood vessels to constrict to conserve heat. – Shivering is caused by constant contraction of our muscles to produce heat to our internal organs When too much heat is produced by the body, blood vessels dilate & sweat glands are stimulated to release heat. Normal core body temp is 98.6 degrees

Core Temperature: Measured Orally (Mouth) – Digital thermometers is the way to measure – Cover thermometer with disposable cover to ensure sanitary measures – Place probe under tongue – The unit will beep once measured – Record results Tympanic (Ear) – Cover – Insert gently, just resting in ear canal – Press “scan” button – After the unit beeps, record measurement What other ways have you heard how to take your temp?

Height: Measured Set up scale on wall – Make sure shoes are off – Back to wall and heels against the wall – Stand up straight and look forward – Have them put weight on heels – Use a square object to find correct height – Record results

Weight: Measured Scales – Shoes off – Appropriate clothing No jackets, heavy items – Stand on scales with good posture – Find the weight – Record results

Vision: Measured Snellen Eye Chart – Mount on wall – Good lighting – Measure off 20 feet – Ask about corrective lenses – Have individual cover 1 eye – Cover other eye – Read lines until miss 2 – Record results for that eye – Check pupils for PEARL

Pulse Oximeter: Measured Pulse Oximeter measures – SpO2% – Non-invasive way of monitoring the oxygenation of someone’s hemoglobin – Norms are 95-99% – BPM – Beats per Minute – Heart rate – Norms are 60-80

Why are Vital Signs Important? They are…VITAL – They all deal with the heart and/or blood They are a quick way for a healthcare professional to diagnose if someone is sick, or how sick they are. – High HR or BP can lead to heart disease – High temperature can indicate illness – Difficulty with respiration can indicate illness

Assessment Get out a sheet of paper… Without looking at your notes: – List the vital signs – List the normal findings for each vital sign