UNIT 5. Vital Signs

English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

A) VITAL SIGNS: Reading measurements and charts. Instruments.
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Wright, R. and M. Spada Symonds. 2011. English for Nursing 2. Harlow: Pearson.
English for Nursing
- cuantas veces respira una persona por minuto
- que tan caliente esta el cuerpo
UNIT 5. Vital Signs - cuantas veces late el corazon por minuto
- la fuerza con la q la sangre viaja por el cuerpo
presion arterial D
pulso C
tasa de respiracion A
temperatura B
monitor de presion arterial digital

oximetro de pulso
digital blood pressure monitor
esfigmomanometro estetoscopio termometro
thermometer stethoscope
pulse oximeter sphygmomanometer
presion arterial kilogramos oxigeno saturacion de 02

porcentaje
pulso peso
ritmo respiratorio
alto monitor cuadro de observacion firmar signos vitales
bajo registro llevar

take vital signs
record observation chart sign
monitor
high low
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

12.a
X
X
X
12.b
encima por punto
one over
at per
point
per
13
IW
IW
14
25 37,5
100/65 130
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
aumenta/subir
15.a Look at the charts below. What vital

disminuir/bajar
sign do they show? In pairs, write the
evolution shown in each chart with the help ser estable variar entre
of the language in the box ----------------------->
subir y bajar
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

15.b These charts belong to three patients in ER: Davinia, Rose, and Pilar.
Listen to Staff Nurse Debbie updating her team at the shift change. Write the correct
patient’s name next to each chart.
Chart (a): ROSE Chart (b): DAVINA Chart (c): PILAR
15.c Now listen again and take notes about each patient’s SYMPTOMS and
EVOLUTION. Compare with your descriptions of the evolution (ex.15a).
Chart (a) Rose suffers from hypertension. When she came in this morning, her BP was up at
160/100. We monitored her all morning. She,s doing much better now, her BP is
Patient: down to 120/80
Chart (b) Davina came in at 2 am with her dad. Her temperature was up to 38.2. It is stable
now, it,s been at 37.2 since 10 am.
Patient:
Chart (c) wheezing, getting anxious, her resps.

Patient: Pilar is still wheezing a lot and is getting very anxious. Her resps ar still up and
down.
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
B) TAKING VITAL SIGNS: Steps and instructions.
2
4
1
3
a) Can you give me your palm. please?
b) That,s ninety-five beats per minute.
c) I,ll take your pulse now, Mr Daniels, if i can.
d) I,ll put my fingers on your wrist.
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
IW
3. When taking a patient’s vital signs, we use will to indicate each next action
that we are going to carry out.
If we decide not to do something based on how the patient is feeling or for any
other reason, we use won’t to express that we have made that decision in that
precise moment.
Complete these sentences indicating steps in taking vital signs using will or
won’t. Use the verbs in the box below. Pay attention to how the position of
verbs changes sometimes.
be clip hurt put write take
1) I ______________________ put my fingers on your wrist.

2) I ______________________ a second reading.
3) I ___________ just ___________ this little meter to your finger.
4) [Patient:] __________ it _________ ?
5) No, it ______________ . It _______________ very quick, I promise.
6) I _________ just _____________ this down in your chart.
4.a [Track 27] Ana Leogardo is a patient on the Cardiology

Ward. The Staff Nurse is doing her rounds before breakfast.
Listen and answer these questions:
1) How does Ana feel?
2) How does the nurse take Ana’s pulse?
3) How does the nurse feel about Ana’s temperature?
4.b [Track 27] Listen again, and complete the table:

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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
Uses of will by the nurse to tell Ana her next actions:

1 I,ll do your obs first, if that,s OK.
2 I,ll take your temperature first
3 I,ll just clip the meter to your finger
4 I, ll just record that on your chart first...

5 .... and then w,ll do your blood pressure
Nurse’s requests to Ana when taking vital signs Vital sign taken
1 Can you sit up for me , please? n/a
2 Can you just put this under your tongue, please? temperature
3 Can you give me your right hand, please? pulse
4.b [Track 28] Complete what the nurse says to Ana as she takes her blood
pressure. Use will and the correct form of the verbs in the box.
envoltura rollo
be eat feel wrap hold put roll see take
sostener
IW 4.d [Track 28] Complete Ana’s vital signs:
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
C) WRITING: Using equipment.
Using a manual sphygmomanometer.
1.a Manual sphygmomanometers are used with a stethoscope for the auscultatory
technique. Here are the different parts of a MANUAL sphygmomanometer:
PART WHAT DOES IT DO? WHAT DOES THE NURSE DO WITH IT?
(INFLATABLE) (Tighten) on arm Place/wrap it around your arm.
CUFF
Inflate it
BULB Inflate the cuff Squeeze it/press/pump it to inflate the cuff
GAUGE Measure blood Look at/watch the gauge
pressure
VALVE Release air/let air Release air/let air out of the cuff
out of the cuff
Listen to sounds with a stethoscope
1.b Now, looking at the table and picture above, list with your partner the different
STEPS the nurse should follow when using a manual sphygmomanometer. Use
connectors of order:
1) FIRST / FIRST OF ALL / TO BEGIN WITH…

2) NEXT / THE FOLLOWING STEP IS (-ing) / AFTERWARDS / THE SECOND/THIRD STEP
/ SECONDLY/THIRDLY / AFTER (-ing)
3) FINALLY / LASTLY / THE LAST STAGE IS (-ing)
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

1.c WRITING: GIVING INSTRUCTIONS. Read the scenario, and complete the short
manual below with instructions to measure BP with a manual sphygmomanometer.
SCENARIO:
You are a NURSE LECTURER at UNIVERSITY, and you are training your nurse students on
HOW TO USE a manual sphygmomanometer. WRITE a short guide giving instructions
about the different STEPS and ACTIONS for those steps.
→Use the future (WILL) to describe what will happen on each stage, or MODAL VERBS
(NEED TO/HAVE TO/MUST) to describe what the nurse has to do.
→Use connectors of order
How to measure a patient’s blood pressure using a

manual sphygmomanometer
Manual sphygmomanometers are used with a stethoscope when

using the auscultatory technique. When a nurse needs to
measure a patient’s blood pressure using a manual
sphygmomanometer, he/she will use the auscultatory technique
with the help of a stethoscope.
1)
2)
3)
4) Finally,
This process is quick and painless for the patient.
2. In pairs, choose another vital sign. What equipment do you need to measure it?
What are the steps to measure it? (p.2). Do ONE of the two:
2a) Using CANVA or any other tool, create an INPHOGRAPHIC with simple
instructions (imperative) for trainee/student nurses. Describe the equipment,
explain what measures (define the vital sign), and indicate all the necessary
steps.
2b) Using https://www.storyboardthat.com, create a storyboard (comic stripe)
with photos of you and your groupmates taking one patient’s vital sign (in this
case, it can be BP with a manual sphygmomanometer). Write the dialogue
between nurse and patient in speech bubbles and add any other necessary text.
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
IW D) LISTENING & SPEAKING: Practice taking vital signs.
1. LISTENING. You will watch a nurse taking a patient’s vital signs. Answer the
comprehension questions below (1a to 1e):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cctNcVuGYfo
1.a What must you always do before taking a patient’s vital signs?
You must always wash your hands.
1.b What things does the nurse do before starting to take the patient’s vital signs?
She makes sure taht all the necessary equipment is ready. She greets the patient, introduces herself,
and explains why she is there. She positions the patient adequately.
1.c Why does the nurse not tell Beth that she was checking her respiratory rate?
To make sure that Beth didn,t change the way she was breathing/thst she continued to breathe
normally.
1.d What does the nurse do after she has finished taking Beth’s vital signs?
She cleans all her supplies. She repositions th epatinet for comfort( lowers the head of the bed and the
bed, makes sure the call light is at her reach)
1.e Which vital sign does the nurse not measure?
She doesn,t measure oxygen saturation
2. Complete with the correct prepositions (up to 2:25):

in between the two plastic pieces.
1) The thermometer goes ________ the plastic sheath, ________
under of
at
2) The thermometer goes ________ the tongue, and ________ the back ________ the mouth.
3) I’m going to take the plastic sheath ________ in
and throw it ________ the trashcan.
off
on
4) I’m going to use the first three fingers ________ my left hand
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

3. Listen to the explanations the nurse gives the patient when measuring the blood
pressure with the manual sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, and fill in the gaps in
these sentences:
place above
1) I’m going to __________ the blood pressure cuff __________ the crease in the arm
2) I’m going to use the stethoscope, and the first thing I’m going to do is to clean the
earpieces
__________ and __________
the head of the stethoscope
arm
3) The stethoscope is placed on the __________ part of the arm along the crease, so
that it’s over the __________.
artery
4) I’m going to __________

pump the blood pressure cuff up to approximately 180 mm of
mercury and listen carefully
5) I slowly release
__________ the air __________
from listening for the
the blood pressure cuff, __________
thudding sound.
6) I´ll remove the blood pressure cuff __________

form her arm, and __________ it aside.
3. Listen again, and complete Beth’s observation chart with the vital signs measured
(second row) and the measurements for each vital sign (third row).
Patient: Beth March DoB: 19/11/1983
Blood Pressure
4. SPEAKING: ROLE PLAYS. In pairs, think about and discuss the following Mediation
questions:
1) How do you think patients feel when nurses are taking their vital signs?
2) What challenges do you think nurses encounter when taking vital signs?
3) In the whole process of taking vital signs, what do you think you must explain to
patients? Which aspects of the process / which information do you think they
may have difficulty understanding?
4) What could you do to make patients feel more relaxed when you are taking
their vital signs?
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs

4.1 When practicing pain assessments, we talked about different Mediation
adaptations that could be necessary when dealing with different types of
patients, based on their needs. Now think about taking vital signs: which needs would
these patients have? What adaptations could you make?
1) Blind or partially sighted patients 3) Elderly patients
2) Children (with and without parents present) 4) Patients with learning disabilities
4.2 ORAL EXAM PRACTICE.
In pairs, role-play the following scenarios, switching roles as nurse and patient between one
another.
→Read the situation carefully, and TOGETHER think about which vital signs
the nurse should take, the specific needs that the patient would have, and Mediation
what the nurse could do to meet those needs and to ensure that the patient
feels relaxed and understands everything.
→Think about language that you may need and look it up or ask your teacher.
SCENARIO 1: Patient
BACKGROUND: You are a 16-year-old blind patient. You are blind since you were born.
You have been taken to A&E because you vomited at school. It is your first time in A&E
and you are very nervous.
OBJECTIVE: Explain your symptoms and how you are feeling in language adequate to the
situation. Ask questions about the procedure(s) and equipment. Answer the nurse’s
questions.
LANGUAGE FOCUS: Use present and past tenses as needed. Use interrogative structures to
ask questions. Use varied vocabulary to explain your symptoms. Ask for clarification
as needed.
SCENARIO 1: Nurse
BACKGROUND: You are an A&E nurse. A young blind patient has come to you with stomach
problems. The patient is alone and very nervous.
OBJECTIVE: Ask the patient about symptoms. Take his/her vital signs (at least two).
Explain all procedures, the purpose of the tests, and describe any equipment used.
Explain measurements and results. Communicate with the patient adequately.
LANGUAGE FOCUS: Use present and past tenses, and the imperative as needed. Use
interrogative structures to ask questions. Use varied vocabulary to explain
procedures, equipment, and results. Make the necessary adaptations based on the
patient’s needs (e.g. simplify language, describe in detail, ask for permission,
etc.).
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English for Nursing
UNIT 5. Vital Signs
SCENARIO 2: Patient
BACKGROUND: You are a middle-aged patient with a learning disability. You were at
a carpentry workshop in your community centre and cut your finger by accident with
a crosscut saw. You hate the sight of blood and are in a lot of pain and very
distressed.
OBJECTIVE: Explain your symptoms and how you are feeling in language adequate to
the situation. Ask questions about the procedure(s) and equipment. Answer the
nurse’s questions.
LANGUAGE FOCUS: Use present and past tenses as needed. Use interrogative
structures to ask questions. Use varied vocabulary to explain your symptoms. Ask
for clarification as needed.
SCENARIO 2: Nurse
BACKGROUND: You are a nurse at a community centre. A middle-aged patient with a
learning disability has come to you with a bad cut in their finger. They are
feeling extremely nervous and confused.
OBJECTIVE: Ask the patient about symptoms. Take his/her vital signs (at least
two). Explain all procedures, the purpose of the tests, and describe any equipment
used. Explain measurements and results. Communicate with the patient adequately.
LANGUAGE FOCUS: Use present and past tenses, and the imperative as needed. Use
interrogative structures to ask questions. Use varied vocabulary to explain
procedures, equipment, and results. Make the necessary adaptations based on the
patient’s needs (e.g. simplify language, describe in detail, ask for permission,
etc.).
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