1. Vital Signs Temperature Pulse Respirations Blood Pressure
O2 Saturation
Pain

2. Vital Signs: Temperature (cont.)
Normal adult temperature range
97.8 to 99.1°F
36.5 to 37.2°C
Tympanic
Oral
Temperature
Routes
Febrile- above normal range
Afebrile- normal body temperature
Rectal
Axillary
Temporal

3. Vital Signs: Blood Pressure
The force at which blood is pumped against the walls of the arteries (mmHg)
Systolic Pressure
Contraction of left ventricle
Top or first number
90 to 120
Diastolic Pressure
Heart at rest
Bottom or second number

4. Vital Signs: Blood Pressure
Sphygmomanometer- equipment used to measure blood pressure
Hypotension- low blood pressure
shock, heart failure, burns, excessive bleeding
Hypertension- high blood pressure
major contributor to heart attacks and strokes

5. Vital Signs: Pulse
Pulse Rate – number of times the heart beats in 1 minute
Normal Range beats per minutes
Pulse Rhythm- regular/irregular
Pulse Volume- strong, weak, thready, or bounding
Terms -tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia

6. Vital Signs : Pulse 2. femoral 3. popliteal 4. dorsalis pedis
Common sites of measurements
1. radial artery
2. carotid artery
3. apical artery
4. brachial artery
Less common sites
1. temporal
2. femoral
3. popliteal
4. dorsalis pedis

7. Vital Signs: Respiration
Respiration Rate – number of times a patient breaths in 1 minute
One breath = one inhalation and one exhalation
Normal Range breaths per minute
Respiration Rhythm- regular, irregular
Effort (quality)- deep, shallow, labored, difficult
Terms- hyperventilation, dyspnea, tachypnea, apnea, rales, Cheyene-stokes

8. Vital Signs: Pulse and Respiration
Linkage
Circulatory
Pulse
Respiratory
Respirations
Pulse and respirations are related because the heart and lungs work together. Normally, an increase or decrease in one causes the same effect on the other.
Ratio of pulse to respirations is 4:1

9. Vital Signs: Pulse Oximetry and Pain
Pulse oximeter- instrument to measure the oxygen saturation of a patient’s blood.
Normal range %
Pain scale- measures a patient’s pain intensity.