Lecture notes for the 1st stage students of the Nursing College, medical students or anyone interested in the human physiology. Quick review.

1. Vital signs assessment
review
Dr.Raghda Alkhateeb, Cardiovascular
Surgeon, Lecturer M.B.Ch.B, CABHS, JBCS
Nursing College of Sulaymaniyah

2. What are vital signs?
Vital signs are measurements of the body's most
basic functions. The four main vital signs routinely
monitored by medical professionals and health
care providers include the following:
1. Body temperature
2. Pulse rate
3. Respiration rate (rate of breathing)
4. Blood pressure
Vital signs are useful in detecting or monitoring
medical problems. Vital signs can be measured in a
medical setting, at home, at the site of a medical
emergency, or elsewhere.

3. Note !
The order of obtaining vital signs is based
on the patient and their situation. Health
care professionals often place the pulse
oximeter probe on the patient while
proceeding to obtain their pulse, respirations,
blood pressure, and temperature. However,
in some situations this order is modified
based on the urgency of their condition. For
example, if a person loses consciousness,
the assessment begins with checking their
carotid pulse to determine if cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) is required.

7. Equipment Needed
• A Stethoscope
• A Blood Pressure Cuff
• A Watch Displaying Seconds
• A Thermometer

9. Temperature
Temperature can be measured is several different ways:
1) Oral
with a glass, paper, or
electronic thermometer (normal 98.6F/37C)
2) Axillary
with a glass or electronic thermometer (normal 97.6F/36.3C)
3) Rectal
or "core" with a glass or electronic thermometer
(normal 99.6F/37.7C)
4) Aural
(the ear) with an electronic thermometer (normal 99.6F/37.7C)
Of these, axillary is the least and rectal is the most accurate

16. Respiration
Best done immediately after taking the patient's pulse. Do not announce that
you are Measuring respirations.
.Without letting go of the patients wrist begin to observe the patient's breathing..
Count breaths for 15 seconds and multiply
this number by 4 to yield the breaths per minute.
.In adults, normal resting respiratory rate is between 14 -20 breaths/minute.
Rapid respiration is called tachypnea.

20. • The pulses are felt in various sites In general
• Palpate the artery wall with the tips of the
index and middle fingers. The tips are very
sensitive. Some recommend avoiding palpation
with the thumb (misinterpreting your own radial
pulse pulsating in examiner's thumb). However,
others contend that kinaesthetic sensitivity is
better in the thumb to detect pulse character in
(carotid artery and brachial artery particularly).
• Do not press too hard for fear of obliterating
the pulse.
• Establish whether the wall feels soft and
pliable or hard and sclerotic.

40. Stethoscope

58. Hemodynamic parameters of a
patient!!!

59. Hemodynamic parameters of a
patient!!!