2. Vital Signs *Foundation Standard 10: Technical Skills
Apply technical skills required for all career specialties and demonstrate skills and knowledge as appropriate
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges (temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, pain).

3. Vital Signs Respiration Blood pressure Temperature Pulse
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, pain).

4. Thermometers Types Oral- mouth Tympanic-ear Axillary- armpit
Rectal- rectum
Temporal- forehead
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(temperature).

5. Normal Temperature Range
Temperatures
Route
Normal Temperature Range
Sites
Oral
 97°F (36.1°C) to
99°F (37.2°C)
Mouth
Tympanic
99.1oF(37.3 ºC) to
99.6 ºF(37.6oC)
Ear
Rectal
Rectum
Axillary
97.6 ºF(36.4oC) to
98.1oF(36.7 ºC)
Armpit
Temporal
97.6oF (36.4oC) to
98.1oF (36.7oC)
Forehead
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(temperature).

6. Procedure Record to the nearest 0.1o
Oral- wait 15 minutes after eating or drinking
Tympanic- primarily for children
Rectal- wear gloves, lubricate the thermometer, insert ½” for infants and 1” for adults
Axillary probe must touch skin
Tympanic- must cross temporal artery
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(temperature).

7. Pulse Number of times heart beats per minute
Normal resting pulse range-
Newborns (0-3 months)
Infants (3-6 months)
90-120
Infants (6-12 months
Children ages 1-10
70-130
Children over age 10 and adults
60-100
Well-conditioned athletes
40-60
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(pulse).

8. Procedure
Locate pulse (radial-adult, brachial- infant), press lightly with index and third fingers
Irregular pulse- note
Tachycardia- > 100 bpm
Bradycardia- < 60 bpm
Weak
Irregular
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(pulse).

9. Respiration Respiration- 1 inhalation and 1 exhalation
Normal resting respiration rate
Approximate Age Range
Respiratory Rate
Newborn
30-50
0-5 months
25-40
6-12 months
20-30
1-3 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
15-30
11-14 years
12-20
15-20 years
12-30
Adults
16-20
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(respirations).

10. Procedure Count number of breaths per minute
Look, listen with a stethoscope, feel
Note
Effort (shallow or deep)
Hyperventilation- excessive rate
Dyspnea- painful breathing
Tachypnea- rapid breathing
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(respirations).

11. Blood Pressure
Systolic pressure- ventricles are contracting, first heart sound when taking blood pressure, top number
Diastolic pressure- ventricles are relaxing, last heart sound when taking blood pressure, bottom number
Blood pressure = Systolic Pressure
Diastolic Pressure
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(blood pressure).

12. Blood Pressure Ranges Age Systolic Diastolic 1-12 months 75-100 50-70
1-4 years
80-110
50-80
3-5 years
years
85-120
55-80
13-18 years
95-140
60-90
Adult
<120
<80
Normal
80-89
Prehypertension
90-99
Stage 1 hypertension
>160
>100
Stage 2 hypertension
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(blood pressure).

13. Procedure
Equipment- Sphygmomanometer (inflatable cuff, pressure bulb, and manometer) and stethoscope
Measuring blood pressure
Place cuff on the upper arm above the brachial pulse site
Inflate cuff 200 mmHg
Release the air in cuff and listen for the first heartbeat (systolic pressure) and the last heartbeat (diastolic pressure)
Record results with systolic as the top number and diastolic as the bottom number
10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording vital signs including the normal ranges
(blood pressure).