Checking Vital Signs, English for Nursing

Vital Sings: temperature (oral, armpit, celcius or farenheit), pulse (apical, temporal, femoral,
radial, carotic, apex of heart, popliteal, dorsalis pedis, posterior tibialis), respiration, BP (Blood
Pressure: right arm or left arm).
It is now common practice for nurses to communicate with patients as much as possible when
they are doing routine nursing tasks. If nurses talk, the patients become involved in their
treatment.. as a nurse takes the patient’s vital signs, it will be better a nurse says what she is
going to do, explain why she is doing it and gives the patient feedback

1. Why should a nurse talk when doing practice?

2. What things should a nurse communicate with the patients?

A. Work associated with breathing

1. Dyspnoea: breathlessness, out of breath, puffed, short of breath, fighting for breath.
2. Expectorate: to bring up/ cough up phlegm/ spit
3. Expiration: breathing out
4. Inhaler for drugs; puffer
5. Inspiration: breathing in
6. Respiration: breathing
7. Sputum: phlegm

B. Expressing to explaining the procedures

1. Is it time for me.....
2. I just want ....
3. I would like ....
4. I am going ...
a. To measure your blood pressure
b. To count your pulse
c. To check your respiration
d. To measure your temperature
e. To put this cuff (around your upper urm)
f. To insert this (thermometer) into your armpit
g. To insert this (thermometer) into your anus
h. To insert this (thermometer) into your mout.

C. Expressing instructions and expressions during the implementation

1. Expression to insruction
a. Would you...
b. Would you mind (change to following verbs into ing-form)
c. Please ....
d. Now, I want you to...

2. Expressin during the implementation

a. Lie down on the couch.
b. Lie flat on the bed
c. Roll your sleeve up
d. Give me your right/ left hand
e. Slip off your top things (membuka baju)
f. Unbutton your shirt (membuka kancing baju)
g. Raise your arm
h. Roll your sleeves up
i. Roll yourself into a side lying position
j. Take a deep breath.
k. Breathe in... breath out (breath [noun]: kata benda: napas; breathe [verb]: kata kerja bernapas
3. Nurse response
a. OK, Fine, that’s it
b. Fine/ good
c. All is done
d. Finished
D. Communicative in English
1. Sir, now I want measure your blood pressure
2. Please lie down on the bed
3. Please roll your arm of cloths to up
4. Now, I want to insert this termometer in to your armpit, mom (Maratus,20)
5. Please slip off your top things respiratory
6. Take a deep, breath, in relase breath out disconnect

E. Dialog
Medical Staff : Good Morning Mrs Ana
Patient : Good morning, Nurse
Medical Staff : it is time for me to chec your blood pressure
Patient : Sure.
Medical Staff : did you sleep well last night?
Patient : not really, cause I still got a problem with my headache.
Medical Staff : you got a problem with your headache? OK, I will report this to your doctor.
Now, please roll your sleeve up
Patient : Sure.
Medical Staff : (Checking the blood pressure) your blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. Now I can
have check your pulse rate? I need to check your pulse.
Patient : What is my blood pressure, nurse?
Medical Staff : it is still in the normal range.

F. Blanks (Patients is more involved in the procedure)

Nurse : Mrs. Jarot. I’m just going to do some routine tests. I want to start with blood your
pressure (Dita, 11). Just to make sure that everything’s OK.
Mrs. Jarot : I see.
Nurse : So, I’m going to put this cuff aroun your upper arm .then I’ll pump some air into it, so I
can read your blood pressure. How does that feel? OK?
Mrs. Jarot : Feels a bit funny
Nurse : Does it? Never mind, it’ll be over in a second or two.
Mrs. Jarot : is it OK? My pressure I mean?
Nurse : Yes, Everything’s pafectly.Now well just take your temperature Can you pop this in
your mouth, under your tongue? Good, amd while you’re doing that I’ll just take your pulse.

A. About Breathe
When you breathe in (46), the sheet of muscular tissue called Ribs which is dome-shaped when
relaxed (26), is pulled flat. At the same time, muscles between your chest contract and pull your
rib cage upwards and out wards (51). These movements increase the volume of your diaphragma
(47), so that your lungs expand and air is sucked into them (53). When you breathe out (44), your
chest muscles and diaphragm relax. Your ribcave moves downwards and inwards, your lungs
contract and air is forced out.

DIALOG
Nurse: Good afternoon, Anna. How are you feeling today?

Patient: It’s so cold in here! I think I have a fever.

Nurse: Let me check your forehead.

Patient: Ok.

Nurse: You feel a bit warm. Let’s measure your body temperature, shall we?

Patient: Sure.

Nurse: Here, put the thermometer under your armpit please.

Patient: Okay. (Oke)

A minute later…

Patient: So, how is it?

Nurse: You have a bit of fever, but you don’t have to be worried about it. It is normal to have a
slight fever after a surgery like yours.

Patient: I’m glad to hear that.

Nurse: I think I will check your blood pressure as well.

Patient: Why? Is there something wrong?

Nurse: No, don’t worry. You are in good hands. Now would you please hold out your arm so that
I can wrap this cuff around it to read your blood pressure?

Patient: Ok.

Nurse: Your blood pressure is 100/70. It’s normal.

Patient: That’s great. Thank you.

Dialog 2

Patient: Good morning.

Doctor: Good morning. Have a seat, please.

Patient: Thanks.

Doctor: So, what brings you here?

Patient: I’ve got a fever and sore throat since yesterday.

Doctor: Okay. Let me check your body temperature.

Patient: All right.

Doctor: Would you please put the thermometer under your arm? Patient: Ok. (Oke)

Doctor: Your body temperature is 39.2° C. It means you have moderate fever. Now, I would like
you to relax as I am checking your pulse and respiration rate.

Patient: Okay.

Doctor: Good. Next, I am going to wrap this cuff around your arm and pump it to read your
blood pressure.

Patient: Would it hurt?

Doctor: No, just relax, okay.

Patient: Okay.

Doctor: Good. Could you please open your mouth and say “aaah” so I could check your throat?
Patient: Aaah
Doctor: Okay. So, your pulse rate is 80 per minute, your respiration rate is 16 per minute, and
your blood pressure is 120/80

Patient: What does it mean?

Doctor: It means that your vital signs are normal. There is nothing to be worried about.

Patient: Oh thank God.

Doctor: I am going to prescribe you vitamin and some medicines to ease your fever and sore
throat.

Patient: Okay.

Doctor: Don’t forget to take a rest and drink a lot of water.

Patient: I will. Thank you so much