1. Vital Signs

2. The Basics What are vital signs?
Measurements of the body’s basic functions.
4 Main vital signs…
Temperature
Pulse
Respirations
Blood Pressure

3. How to find Pulse What is pulse? Common places for pulse:
The number of heartbeats within a minute as the heart contracts and relaxes on the wall of an artery.
Common places for pulse:
Carotid: sides of the neck
Brachial: inner forearm
Radial: inner wrist, below thumb
Pedal: on top of the feet

4. Norms for pulse Normal: 60-100 bpm
Bradycardia: pulse is less than 60 bpm
Tachycardia: pulse is greater than 100 bpm
(Children’s pulse may be significantly greater depending on their age, this is normal.)

5. Altering pulse factors
Increase in pulse:
Exercise
Fever
Shock
Stress
Stimulant drugs
Decrease in Pulse
Sleep
Physical Training
Heart Disease
Depressant Drugs
Coma

6. Let’s Practice Find your carotid artery Find your radial artery
When I say go, count for 15 seconds (I will keep time and tell you when to stop)
Take that number and multiply it by 4 to get your carotid pulse rate for 1 minute
Find your radial artery
Place 2 fingers across the wrist and feel for the pulse on the thumb side
Repeat the steps from above

7. Respirations One respiration = 1 breath in, 1 breath out.
Normal Respiration Rates (adults):
12-20 breaths per min

8. Respirations
Respirations should be taken discretely so the patient doesn’t alter their normal breathing patterns.
Cyanosis: discoloration of the skin, lips, and nail bed-bluish in color. This is a result of low O2 and high CO2 in the bloodstream.

9. Abnormal Respiration Dyspnea: difficulty breathing Apnea: no breathing
Tachypnea: RR > 20 bpm
Bradypnea: RR < 12 bpm
am/exam/flash/breathing/index.html

10. Temperature What is temperature?
The measurement of the level of body heat
Heat is lost through sweating, breathing, and micturation (urine and feces)
Heat is produced by muscle and gland activity, and the metabolism of food

11. Norms of Temperature Normal Range: 96.6° F to 100.6° F
5 ways a temperature can be taken:
Oral (O-mouth) norm: 98.6 ° F
Rectal (R) norm: 99.6 ° F
Axillary (Ax-armpit) norm: 97.6 ° F
Aural (T-ear) norm: 99.6 ° F
Oral thermometers are usually blue, rectal thermometers are usually red.

12. Abnormal Temperature Hypothermia: body temp < 95.5 ° F R
Hyperthermia: body temp > 104 ° F R
Fever is defined as a temperature over 101 ° F
Pyrexia is the medical term for fever

13. Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries from blood.
Systolic BP: pressure on the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle is contracting
Normal range for systolic BP: mm Hg
Diastolic BP: pressure on the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle is at rest
Normal range for diastolic BP: mm Hg
am/flash/bloodpressure/index.html

14. Disorders relating with BP
Pre-hypertension: BP in range of 120/80 – 139/89
-These people are “at risk” of developing hypertension. Major lifestyle changes would need to occur in order to not develop hypertension.
Hypertension: BP higher than 140/90
-High blood pressure is caused by stress, anxiety, obesity, high sodium intake, etc.
-If not treated HBP can lead to more serious diseases
Hypotension: low BP; less than 90/60
-Occurs with heart failure, dehydration, depression,etc.

15. Factors that effect BP Increase: Excitement Stimulant drugs Exercise
Smoking
Decrease:
Rest
Shock
Excessive blood loss
Fasting

16. More Info. There are more than just the four main vital signs!
Pain Scale (1-10)
Skin Color (cyanosis)
Level of consciousness (brain function)
Pulse Oximetry reading (level of O2 in the blood)

17. Putting it all together…
Review
What are the four main vital signs?
What is it called when your heartbeat is too fast?
What is the top number of the BP reading called?
What does pyrexia mean?
Putting it all together…

18. Sources
Powerpoint adapted from Mrs. Moore’s Powepoint presentation.