what are the normal VITAL SIGNS

These are my retained lectures about Vital Signs...

Vital Signs or Cardinal Signs are:

• body temp
• pulse
• respiration
• blood pressure
• pain

I. Body Temperature - the balance between the heat produced by the body and the heat loss from the body.

types of body temp

• Core temp - temp of the deep tissues of the body (oral and rectal).
• Surface body temp like axilla.

alteration in body temp

• Pyrexia - body temp above normal range (hyperthermia).
• Hyperpyrexia - very high fever; 41C and above.
• hypothermia - subnormal temp.

Normal Adult Temp Ranges

• oral - 36.5 - 37.5C
• Axillary - 35.8 - 37C
• Rectal - 37 - 38.1C
• Tymphanic - 36.8 - 37.9C

Methods of Temp Taking

1. Oral - most accessible and convenient method.

• put thermo under the tounge
• wash thermo before use.
• take it for 2 - 3mins
• allow 15mins to elapse between client's food intakes of hot or cold food, smoking.

Contraindications

• young children and infants.
• unconscious and disoriented.
• clients breathing through the mouth.
• seizure prone.
• patients with N/V
• with oral lesions or surgeries.

2. Rectal - most accurate

• lateral position with top legs flexed
• insert thermo 0.5 - 1.5 in
• hold in place for 2min
• do not force to insert the thermo

Contraindication

• patients with diarrhea
• recent rectal surgery or injury
• recent M.I.
• post head injury

3. Axillary - safest and non-invasive

• hold in place for 9min because the thermo is not close in a body cavity.

4. Tymphanic

• stabilized the patient's head
• pull the straight back (age 0 - 3y/o) or up and back (3y/o above)
• insert thermo until the entite ear canal is sealed
• press activation button, and hold it in place for 1sec

II. Pulse - thew wave of blood created by contractions of the left ventricles of the heart.

Normal Pulse Rate

• 1year - 80 - 140 bpm
• 2years - 80 - 130 bpm
• 6years - 75 - 120 bpm
• 10years - 60 - 90 bpm
• adults - 60 - 100 bpm

III. Respiration - the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the body.

• normal rate - 14 to 20 cpm
• best time is immediately after taking the pulse
• full 60 secs
• RR less than 10 or more than 40 are usually considered abnormal and should be reported immediately to the physician.

IV. Blood Pressure

• 90/60 - 140/90 is usually considered normal
• sitting or supine position
  
• ensure that the client is rested before taking the BP
• use appropriate size of BP cuff
• if to tight and narrow - false high BP
• if too loose and wide - false low BP
• arm at the level of the heart, if the artery is below heart level, you may get false high reading
• if the client is crying or anxious, delay to avoid false - high BP

V. Pain

How to assess pain

• consider both the client's description and your observations on his behavioral responses
• ask the client to rank his pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 denoting no pain and 10 means the worst pain imaginable
  

• ASK:
• where is the pain located
• how long does the pain occur
• how often does it occur
• can you describe the pain
• what makes the pain worse
• observe the client's behavioral response to pain (body language, moaning, grimacing, withdrawal, crying, restlessness, muscle twitching and immobility)

see related link in my Fundamentals labels