Vital Signs Medical Science 1

Lesson Objectives Understand What vitals are and how to document them Learn How to: Take Pulse Rate Take Respiration Rate Take Blood Pressure

What are vital signs? Outward signs of what is going on inside of the body Pulse Respirations Blood Pressure Skin Color Temperature Pupils

Pulse Heart pumps blood through blood vessels Blood passes through arteries in waves Surges of blood through the arteries can be felt as pulses The number of pulses felt in a minute is equal to the number of heart beats in a minute Two Components: Rate and Quality Rate=Beats/min Quality: How it feels – strong, weak, thready…

Radial Pulse Pulse Locations Carotid Pulse Brachial Pulse

Average Pulse Ranges AgeBeats/min … Newborn

Respirations Respiration = The act of breathing Measured in breaths per min 2 actions of respiration are: inspiration and exhalation Inspiration = breath in Exhalation = breath out 1 breath = 1 inspiration & 1 exhalation

Respiration Components Rate and Quality (just like pulse) Rate = Breaths/min Quality = normal, shallow, labored, noisy What do you think, normal?

Average Respiration Ranges AgeBreaths/min … Newborn30-50

Blood Pressure Definition: The force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels When the heart contracts and forces blood in the arteries – Systolic Pressure When the heart is relaxed, the remaining pressures in the arteries – Diastolic Pressure

Blood Pressure Presented in the form: Systolic Diastolic Average Blood pressure = 120/80

How to Take Blood Pressure 1. Position the blood pressure cuff 1. Arrow over brachial artery 2. Put stethoscope properly into your ears 3. Place the head of the stethoscope on the brachial artery, below the BP cuff 4. Pump the BP cuff to 160 mmHG 5. Slowly release pressure by turning value counterclockwise 6. 1 st sound heard = systolic pressure 7. Last sound heard = diastolic pressure

Blood Pressure by Palpation 1. Very similar to previous procedure, but no stethoscope is used 2. Instead, place your hand on the radial pulse 3. Pump BP cuff to 160 mmHG 4. Slowly release the value 5. First pulse felt = Systolic pressure 6. Diastolic pressure cannot be measured this way 7. Documented: (Systolic)/Palp.

Now it’s your turn! On the BP arm record the following information: Assess the radial pulse and blood pressure by auscultation; record the values you obtain and compare those scores with “normal” values. Tip: if you don’t know what normal range/scores are supposed to be, find it

Now it’s your turn! (cont’d) Use your classmates as patients for the following tasks: Tip: Record your answers on the form provided on my website Assess the vital signs of 6 people

Think deeper!! Answer the following questions on the BACK of your assessment form! Why would a healthy 18 year old person need vital signs assessed at a sports physical? Why would a cardiac pt have the dorsalis pedis pulse site assessed pre and post op?

THE END! Use your own paper to complete the LAST TASK! Write 2 separate case stories. First story First story describes a situation (accident, trauma, chronic illness, etc.) in which you would assess homeostasis using a pulse site located on the patient’s upper body

THE END! (cont’d) Second story Second story describes a situation (accident, trauma, chronic illness, etc.) in which you would assess homeostasis using a pulse site located on the patient’s lower body Include in both stories: Name of pulse site, description of it’s location and WHY you are assessing at that location. Provide as many details as possible in your story