Vital signs include the measurement of: temperature, respiratory rate, pulse, and blood pressure. These numbers provide critical information about a patient’s health. Vital signs can identify the existence of an acute medical problem. Most patients will have had their vital signs measured at some point, which are documented on their records. When the patient knows how the tools work, the patient will understand their vital signs better. Starting with the temperature, there is a tool called a tympanic digital ear thermometer, which is battery operated. This is a way of measuring the body temperature inside the ear. The tympanic digital thermometer is a hand held device with a “window” showing the temperature. The window is a screen that displays
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Sometimes the respirations are counted when the pulse is taken, so the patient cannot alter their breathing. To take respirations, have the patient sit straight up or just relax. Place a hand on the wrist just like for a pulse. For one minute, using a watch with a second hand, count the respirations. As the chest rises once and falls once that is one breath (respiration). While counting, listen to the breaths to see if they are shallow or raspy. A raspy breath will sound crackly like wheezing. Shallow breaths are short small ones, where the patient does not breathe in enough oxygen. Document the respirations, with an “R” in front of the number on the patients records, and if they were shallow or raspy. The last vital sign to be taken is the blood pressure. When taking a blood pressure, the pressure in the arteries, when the heart beats and rests is being measured. Before a blood pressure can be taken, a quality stethoscope and an appropriately sized blood pressure cuff is needed. A stethoscope has two pieces that go in the ears to listen and a long tube, like a piece of rubber, with a chest piece on the bottom. The chest piece is a round piece of metal, which the heart beat is heard through. When choosing the right size blood pressure cuff, a person needs to determine if they are taking the blood pressure on an adult, child, or a bigger
Sometimes the respirations are counted when the pulse is taken, so the patient cannot alter their breathing. To take respirations, have the patient sit straight up or just relax. Place a hand on the wrist just like for a pulse. For one minute, using a watch with a second hand, count the respirations. As the chest rises once and falls once that is one breath (respiration). While counting, listen to the breaths to see if they are shallow or raspy. A raspy breath will sound crackly like wheezing. Shallow breaths are short small ones, where the patient does not breathe in enough oxygen. Document the respirations, with an “R” in front of the number on the patients records, and if they were shallow or raspy. The last vital sign to be taken is the blood pressure. When taking a blood pressure, the pressure in the arteries, when the heart beats and rests is being measured. Before a blood pressure can be taken, a quality stethoscope and an appropriately sized blood pressure cuff is needed. A stethoscope has two pieces that go in the ears to listen and a long tube, like a piece of rubber, with a chest piece on the bottom. The chest piece is a round piece of metal, which the heart beat is heard through. When choosing the right size blood pressure cuff, a person needs to determine if they are taking the blood pressure on an adult, child, or a bigger