Basic topic 'vital signs' for nursing students...

1. GOOD
MORNING

2. VITAL
SIGNS
PREPARED BY:
ULFAT RASOOL
BSC NURSING

3. VITAL SIGNS(CARDINAL SIGNS)
o Vital signs are an objective measurement
of the essential physiological functions
of a living organism.
o They have the name “vital” as their
measurement and assessment is the
critical first step for any clinical
evaluation

4. PURPOSES OF VITAL SIGNS
 To obtain baseline data about the patient condition.
 To determine variation from normal and its
significance .
 To detect change in clients health status.
 To plan and implement the nursing care.
 Routine part of complete physical examination.
 To help in diagnosis of disease the result of
treatment and medication.

5. VITAL SIGNS
TEMPERATURE
PULSE
BLOOD
PRESSURE
RESPIRATION
PAIN

6. TEMPERATURE
Measurement of the balance between heat lost and heat
produced by the body.
Temperature of body is measured by thermometer.
There are two types of body temperature:
1. Core temperature.
2. Surface temperature.

7. CORE TEMPERATURE:
It is the temperature of internal organs and it
remains constant most of the time (37degree C)
Range-36.5 to 37.5.
SURFACE TEMPERATURE:
It is the temperature of skin, subcutaneous tissue
and fat cells and it rise and falls in response to the
environment.
Range- 20 to 40
It doesn’t indicate internal physiology.

8. PARAMETERS VALUES
NORMAL BODY
TEMPERATURE
Normal-37 C or 98.6 F
Range-36C-38C or 96.8-100 F
PYREXIA Above 38C-41C or 100.4 F-
105.8 F
HYPERPYREXIA Above 105.8 F
HYPOTHERMIA Between 34C-35C

9. FACTORS AFFECTING BODY TEMPERATURE
1.Age: Infants have approx. 0.5 degree more temp than adults.
2.Exercise: body temperature increases with exercise.
3.Hormones: eg- ovulation.
4.Stress: sympathetic nervous system stimulation.
5.Environment: extremes in temperature.

10. SITES TO MEASURE BODY TEMPERATURE
RECTAL
ORAL
AXILLARY
TYMPANIC
TYMPANIC
(EAR)

11. ORAL
Obtained by putting the thermometer under the tongue(3 to 5 min)
Measurement is less than 1 degree F rectal and more than 1degreeF axillary temp.
TYMPANIC
Obtained by inserting thermometer into ear
Used to obtain core temperature.
RECTAL
Obtained by inserting thermometer into the rectum or anus(.3 to 5min)
most accurate and most reliable temp.
Measurement is 1degree F higher than the oral temperature
AXILLARY
Obtained by putting thermometer in armpit (3 to 5min)
Measurement is1degree F higher than oral

12. PULSE
A wave of blood flow created by contractions of
the heart;
The amount of blood pumped from the left
ventricle of the heart to the artery being assessed.
Pulse is checked by;
• palpating- to feel
OR
• Auscultation- listening for sounds

13. SITES OF PULSE

14. CHARACTERISTICS OF PULSE
Rhythm:-pattern of heartbeats(regularity) the
length of the time between beats should be same.
Rate: number of heart beats per minute.
Volume:- amount of blood pumped with each
beat.
Arterial wall elasticity:- the artery wall should
feel soft and flexible under the fingers.

15. NORMAL RANGE OF PULSE
AGE PULSE/HEART RATE
Newborn 100-170 beats per min
1 year 80-170 beats per min
Children 70-110 beats per min
Adult 60-100 beats per min
 Tachycardia: a pulse rate of more than 100 beats per min.
 Bradycardia: a pulse rate of less than 60 beats per min.

16. PROCEDURE FOR TAKING PULSE
 Place tips of 3 fingers other than thumb lightly over pulse site.
 Thumb is not used for assessing pulse as it has its own pulse which can be
mistaken for patients pulse. Do not press the artery with more force.
 After getting the pulse regularity, count the pulse for 1 minute looking at
the second hand on the wrist watch.
 Assess the rate, rhythm, and volume of pulse and condition of blood
vessels.

17. FACTORS AFFECTING PULSE
AGE: very old person have slow pulse rate and children have faster pulse rate.
SEX: Females have a slightly higher pulse than males.
EMOTIONS: Anger or excitement increases the pulse rate temporally.
FEVER: When body temperature is elevated, the pulse rate usually increases as well.
BLOOD PRESSURE: When the blood pressure decreases, pulse rate may increase to increase blood
flow.
DRUGS: Stimulant drugs increase the pulse rate and depressant drugs decrease the pulse rate.
HEMORRHAGE: Loss of blood increases pulse rate because of demand of oxygen.

18. RESPIRATION
Respiration is the movement of oxygen of from the outside
environment to the cells within the tissues and the removal of
carbon dioxide in the opposite direction that’s the
environment.
Respiration involves two processes:
1. Internal respiration
2. External respiration

19. 1. Internal respiration ( occurs in the metabolizing tissues,
where oxygen diffuses out of the blood and carbon dioxide
diffuses out of the cells).
2. External respiration (occurs in the lungs where oxygen
diffuses into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses into the
alveolar air).

21. CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPIRATION
1 RATE: It indicates the number of times the person breathes in
and out in one minute.
2 DEPTH: it is estimated by observing the movement of chest
during inspiration, which may be deep or shallow.
3 RHYTHM: it indicates the equal interval between two
respiration.

22. NORMAL RANGE OF RESPIRATION

23. HOW TO TAKE RESPIRATORY RATE
Place the patient arm in relaxed position across his abdomen and
place your hand on the patients arm. Now observe complete
respiratory cycle (Inspiration+Expiration).

24. BLOOD PRESSURE(BP)
Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the
vessels walls(arterial wall)which is measured in millimetre of
mercury (mmgh).
Blood pressure measurements includes :
• systolic pressure
• diastolic pressure

25. BLOOD
PRESSURE
SYSTOLIC
PRESSURE:
The maximal
pressure
exerted on the
arteries during
contraction of
left ventricles
of heart.
DIASTOLIC
PRESSURE:
The amount
of pressure
exerted on the
arterial wall
with the
ventricles at
rest.

26. METHODS OF MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
1. DIRECT METHOD:
An oscilloscope is used for this method.
This is continuous method which
measures mean pressures. A needle or
catheter is inserted into the brachial,
radial, or femoral artery and oscilloscope
displays arterial pressure in wave form.

27. 2. INDIRECT METHOD:
Taking blood pressure by using sphygmomanometer.
Following types of measuring device is available:-
 Mercury manometer.
 Aneroid manometer.
 Electronic BP device.

28. NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE RANGE
CATEGORY SYSTOLIC
(upper-mmHg)
DIASTOLIC
(lower mmHg)
Low Less than 90 Less than 60
Normal Less than 120 Less than 80
Elevated 120-129 Less than 80
High
(hypertensive stage 1)
130-139 80-89
High
(hypertensive stage 2)
140 or higher 90 or higher
Hypertensive crisis
(seek emergency care)
Higher than 180 Higher than 120