1. VITAL SIGNS:

2. VITAL SIGNS:
VITAL SIGNS ARE PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT INDICATE AN INDIVIDUAL IS ALIVE
THESE CAN INCLUDE:
PULSE, RESPIRATIONS, TEMPERATURE, BLOOD PRESSURE, ETC.
THESE SIGNS MAY BE OBSERVED, MEASURED AND MONITORED TO ASSESS AN INDIVIDUALS LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING

3. VITAL SIGNS:
NORMAL VITAL SIGNS CHANGE WITH AGE, SEX, WEIGHT, EXERCISE TOLERANCE AND CONDITIONING
ALL VITAL SIGNS MEASUREMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WHILE THE PATIENT IS SEATED
PRIOR TO MEASURING VITAL SIGNS, THE PATIENT SHOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REST FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES

4. PULSE:
THE PULSE REFLECTS THE CONDITION OF THE PATIENTS CIRCULATORY SYSTEM AND CARDIAC FUNCTION
PULSE RATES VARY WITH THE SIZE OF THE PATIENT, PHYSICAL CONDITION, AND AGE

5. PULSE: PULSE IS RECORDED IN TERMS OF BEATS PER MINUTE (BPM)
NORMAL PULSE RATE FOR AN ADULT IS BPM WITH THE AVERAGE BEING BPM
RATES HIGHER THAN 100 ARE KNOWN AS TACHYCARDIA AND RATES BELOW 60 ARE KNOWN AS BRADYCARDIA
IN A TRAINED ATHLETE, PULSE CAN BE LOWER (50-60 BPM) BECAUSE THEIR HEART MUSCLE RECEIVES MORE EXERCISE

6. PULSE: BULSE RATE IS ONE MEASUREMENT
ANOTHER IS QUALITY OF THE HEART BEAT
WEAK
STRONG
THREADY (WEAK AND RAPID)
BOUNDING (UNUSUALLY FULL AND STRONG)

7. PULSE: WHAT IT CAN MEAN: RAPID WEAK PULSE:
SHOCK, BLEEDING, DIABETIC COMA, OR HEAT EXHAUSTION
RAPID STRONG PULSE:
HEATSTROKE, SEVERE FRIGHT, OR HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)
STRONG SLOW PULSE:
SKULL FRACTURE OR STROKE
ABSENCE OF A PULSE:
CARDIAC ARREST OR DEATH

8. CHECKING PULSE:
THE PLSE CAN BE FELT IN MANY PLACES ON THE BODY

9. CHECKING PULSE:
PULSE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN WITH YOUR FIRST 2 FINGERS (INDEX AND MIDDLE)
NEVER USE YOUR THUMB BECAUSE THE THUMB HAS A PULSE OF ITS OWN
PULSE SHOULD BE MONITORED FOR ONE MINUTE OR 30 SECONDS AND MULTIPLIED BY 2

10. RESPIRATIONS:
BREATHING, OR RESPIRATION, IS THE PROCESS OF BRINGING OXYGEN INTO THE BODY WHERE IT CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE CELLS
RESPIRATIONS CAN BE ALTERED BY EXCITEMENT, DRUGS, DISEASES, PAIN, TRAUMA, FEVER, ETC

11. RESPIRATIONS:
A SINGLE RESPIRATION CONSISTS OF ONE INSPIRATION AND ONE EXPIRATION
NORMAL RESPIRATION RATES FOR AN AVERAGE ADULT ARE BREATHS PER MINUTE
A WELL TRAINED ATHLETE CAN BE AS LOW AS 6-8 BREATHS PER MIN

12. RESPIRATIONS: BRADYPNEA: ABNORMALLY SLOW
DYSPNEA: DIFFICULT OR PAINFUL BREATHING; SHORTNESS OF BREATH
HYPERPNEA OR TACHYPNEA: BREATHING THAT IS FASTER OR DEEPER THAN NORMAL (HYPERVENTILATION)
KUSSMAUL’S BREATHING: DEEP, GASPING RESPIRATIONS

13. CHECKING RESPIRATIONS:
COUNT THE NUMBER OF BREATHS A PATIENT HAS FOR ONE MINUTE OR THE NUMBER OF BREATHS IN 30 SECONDS AND MULTIPLY BY 2
KEEP IN MIND: SOMETIMES LETTING THE PATIENT KNOW THAT YOU ARE COUNTING THEIR RESPIRATIONS WILL ALTER THE NUMBER

14. BLOOD PRESSURE:
BLOOD PRESSURE IS A MEASUREMENT OF THE PRESSURE OF THE BLOOD EXERTED AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES
THE PRESSURE IS MEASURED AS 2 MEASUREMENTS
SYSTOLIC: PRESSURE WHEN HEART CONTRACTS (TOP #)
DIASTOLIC: PRESSURE WHEN THE HEART IS AT REST (BOTTOM #)

15. BLOOD PRESSURE: BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE AFFECTED BY:
INCREASE: AGE, EXERCISE, OBESITY, FOOD, PAIN, STRESS, STIMULANTS, STEROIDS, AND CERTAIN MEDICATIONS
DECREASE: WEIGHT LOSS, FASTING, DEPRESSION, AND BLOOD LOSS

16. BLOOD PRESSURE: NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE IS MEASURED AS 120/80
ABNORMAL SYSTOLIC:
BELOW 100 OR ABOVE 139
ABNORMAL DIASTOLIC:
BELOW 65 OR ABOVE 89

17. BLOOD PRESSURE: HYPOTENSION-LOW BLOOD PRESSURE
MAY INDICATE SHOCK, DEHYDRATION, OR INTERNAL INJURY
HYPERTENSION-HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
MAY INDICATE CARDIAC PROBLEMS AND STROKE
CAUSES OF THIS COULD BE OBESITY, LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, TOO MUCH SALT IN DIET, AND STRESS

18. TEMPERATURE:
THE BODY’S CORE TEMPERATURE MUST REMAIN WITHIN A RELATIVELY NARROW RANGE IN ORDER FOR THE BODY’S VARIOUS SYSTEMS TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY
NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE IS DEGREES FAHRENHEIT (37 DEGREES CELSIUS)