NUR 114 Laboratory:

Vital Signs
 VITAL SIGNS
• “Nurses need to have technical skills and a
strong knowledge base,yet it is especially
important to be fully present with patients
and listen to the story they have to tell…”
 Learning Outcomes
• Discuss indicators to assess vital signs.

• Discuss terminology used in the assessment of

vital signs.

• Demonstrate correct assessment of oral,

rectal, and axillary temperature.
 Learning Outcomes
• Demonstrate correct assessment of apical,
radial and brachial pulse.

• Demonstrate correct assessment of

respirations.
 Learning Outcomes
• Demonstrate correct assessment of blood
pressure.

• Discuss critical thinking scenarios related to

assessing vital signs.
 Indicators to Assess Vital Signs
• Admission to a care facility

• Routinely,according to setting policy

• Changes in a client’s condition

 Terminology R/T Temperature
• Febrile • Diaphoresis

• Afebrile • Hypothermia

• Pyrexia • Hyperthermia
Heart Rate: Bored to
Terrified!!!!!!!!!!
 Terminology R/T Pulse
• Bradycardia

• Tachycardia

• Dysrythmia
 Terminology R/T Respirations

Apnea Eupnea Dyspnea

Orthopnea Bradypnea Tachypnea

Cyanosis Hypoventilation Hyperventilation

 Terminology R/T Blood Pressure
• Hypotension • Diastole

• Hypertension • Orthostatic or postural

hypotension
• Systole
 Assessing Temperature
• Equipment
• Sites
• Site selection
• Procedure
 Assessing Pulse
• Pulse Rate, Rhythm and Amplitude
• 0- 4 + with 0= absent .

Site Selection

Procedure
 Assessing Respirations
• Respiratory characteristics
• Influences
• Procedure
 Blood Pressure
• Definition • Pulse pressure

• Systolic pressure • Documentation

• Diastolic pressure
 BP Influences
• Age • Exercise/ activity

• Time of day • Emotions

• Gender • Position

• Food intake
 Assessing Blood Pressure
• Equipment

• Sites

• Procedures

• Common errors
 Classification of BP

BP SBP DBP Lifestyle

classified change
Normal <120 And <80 Encourage

Prehyperten 120-139 Or 80-89 Yes

sion
Stage 1 140-159 Or 90-99 Yes
HBP
Stage 2 > Or = 160 Or > or yes
HBP =100
Web address for BP information

www.nhlbi.nih.gov
 Clinical Application

• Know the normal values • Promptly report:

for age group. • Significant changes and
• Know your client’s values outside the
normal. normal range.
• Identify possible
influences on the vital
signs