UNIT I

Taking vital signs

Learning Objectives

In this unit, you are expected to be able to:

- understand and use the vocabularies in taking vital signs

Task 1 Complete the conversation below using the words in the box.

sweaty regularly vital signs cuff 37.9º

tongue pulse upper arm Oxygen Sats normal
80/50 slow respiration temperature blood

Nurse : Good morning. Mr. Greenwood, I need to do your vital signs (1). Is that OK?
Patient : OK. But you did them a short time ago, didn’t you?
Nurse : Oh, no. That was four hours ago. We have to do your vital signs _________ (2).
Patient : Why is that?
Nurse : It’s important to check that everything is alright. Can I check your _________ (3) first?
Patient : Sure.
Nurse : I’ll put the thermometer under your _________ (4) to check your temperature.
Patient : OK.
Nurse : Right. It’s _________ (5). Your temperature is a bit high. It was 37º this morning.
That’s _________ (6). 37.9º is a little high.
Patient : Yes, I feel a bit _________ (7).
Nurse : Let me take your blood pressure and _________ (8) now.
Patient : OK. My blood pressure is usually a little low. I’m very fit so it’s usually a quite low.
Nurse : I’ve got it that you don’t mind little here. I’ll wrap the cuff around your _________ (9)
first. There we are. Now, I will turn on the monitor and take your blood pressure.
Patient : Whoa. The _________ (10) is a bit tight now.
Nurse : Yes, it is a bit. It won’t take long. There. Your blood pressure is _________ (11). Quite
low. But if you are very fit, a low blood pressure is normal.
Patient : What is my pulse like? It’s usually quite _________ (12). I run every day. So, I think
I’m very healthy.
Nurse : Your pulse is quite slow as well. It’s 58. That is OK because you play a lot of sport. I’m
going to check your _________ (13) as well.
Patient : Why are you checking that?
Nurse : It’s to see how much oxygen is in your _________ (14). I’m going to put the sats
around your finger now. Can you put out your finger for me?
Patient : Sure.
Nurse : Right. Your oxygen sats are 99%. That’s very good. I also count the _________ (15).
 Patient : Really?
Nurse : Yes. It’s better to check a patient’s respiration when they don’t know about it. Your
respiratory rate is 16.
Patient : Is that OK?
Nurse : Yes. It just means that you are breathing 16 breaths per minute.
Patient : That’s relief.

Task 2
Match these vital signs 1-4 with the correct definitions a-d.

1. Blood pressure a) How many times a person breathes per minute

2. Pulse b) How hot the body is
3. Rate of respiration c) How many times the heart beats per minute
4. Temperature d) The force with which blood travels round the body
.
Label the pictures of medical equipment with the words in the box. What is each piece
Task 3
of equipment used to measure? Write sentences.

Example: A stethoscope is used to listen to the heart beat.

digital blood pressure monitor stethoscope pulse oximeter

sphygmomanometer thermometer

Work in pairs. Match the abbreviations on the chart with the words in the box.
Task 4
Which instruments from 7 are used to take these measurements? Explain the
abbreviations to your partner.
Example: RR stands for …/ means …. RR stands for respiration rate.

We use a … to measure/ record this. We use a … to record this.

blood pressure respiration rate oxygen oxygen saturation percentage

pulse kilograms temperature weight

Patient name Alberto Riviera Date of Birth 27.03.1986

Date/ BP P RR T Wt O2 Sats Signature
Time
14.10.11 130/ 80 75 15 37 71 kg 96% R. Perez

Task 5
Complete the summary with the words in the box. Compare your answers with a
partner.

high monitor record take

low observation chart sign vital signs

Nurses usually _____________ (1) the patients _____________ (2) several times a day. We _____________
(3) the information on the _____________ (4) and _____________ (5) it. Medical staff then use this
information to _____________ (6) the patient. If there are any changes, a _____________ (7) temperature
(fever), for example, or a _____________ (8) blood pressure count, we have to inform the Senior Staff
Nurse immediate