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VITAL SIGNS FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING
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VITAL SIGNS FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (BSN)B.SC NURSING
Unit 2: Vital signs Fundamental of Nursing
Unit 2: Vital signs
Outlines
- Body temperature.
- Pulse / heart rate.
- Respiration.
- Blood Pressure.
Vital Signs
Vital signs are measures of various physiological status, in order to
assess the most basic body functions. When these values are not zero,
they indicate that a person is alive.
All of these vital signs can be observed, measured, and monitored.
This will enable the assessment of the level at which an individual
functioning. Normal ranges of measurements of vital signs change with
age and medical condition.
Vital signs are useful in detecting or monitoring medical problems.
Vital signs can be measured in a medical setting, at home, at the site of a
medical emergency, or elsewhere.
Vital Signs
Are measurements of the body's most basic functions:
1. Body temperature (Temp).
2. Pulse / heart rate.
3. Respiration.
4. Blood pressure (BP).
When to Assess Vital Signs
1. Upon admission to any healthcare agency.
2. Based on agency institutional policy and procedures.
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, Unit 2: Vital signs Fundamental of Nursing
3. Any time there is a change in the patient’s condition.
4. Before and after surgical or invasive diagnostic procedures.
5. Before and after activity that may increase risk.
6. Before and after administering medications that affect cardiovascular
or respiratory functioning.
Physiological Basis of Body Temperature
Body temperature is the balance between the heat production due
to chemical activities by the body and heat lost from the body through
radiation, conduction, convection, and vaporization( evaporation) .
Types of body temperature:
1. Core temperature:
Is the temperature of deep tissues of the body, e.g., cranium, thorax
and abdominal cavity. It remains relatively constant (37Cº or 98.6 Fº).
True core temperature readings can only be measured by invasive
means, such as placing a temperature probe into the esophagus,
pulmonary artery or urinary bladder.
Non-invasive sites such as the rectum, oral cavity, axilla, temporal
artery (forehead) and external auditory canal are accessible and are
believed to provide the best estimation of the core temperature.
2.Surface temperature:
Is the temperature of the skin, the subcutaneous tissue and fat. It,
by contrast rises and falls in response to the environmental changes.
When measured orally, the average body temperature of an adult is
between 36.7 Cº( 98 Fº) and 37 Cº( 98.6Fº).
Assessing Body Temperature
The normal range of the body temperature is between 36.2 to 37.2 Cº.
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, Unit 2: Vital signs Fundamental of Nursing
Factors Affecting Body's heat production
1.Basal metabolic rate ( BMR): The basal metabolic rate is the rate of
energy utilization in the body to maintain essential activities such as
breathing. BMRs vary with age and sex.
2.Muscle activity: It including shivering, can greatly increase metabolic
rate.
3.Thyroxin output: Increased thyroxin output increases the rate of
cellular metabolism throughout the body.
4.Epinephrine and sympathetic stimulation, these immediately increase
the rate of cellular metabolism in many body tissues.
5.Age: Very young and very old are more sensitive to change in
environmental temperature due to decreased thermoregulatory controls
6.Gender: women tend to have more function in body temperature than
men the increase in progesterone secretion at ovulation increase body
temperature .
7.Diurnal variation: body temperature normally change throughout the
day, varying as much as I Cº ( I.8 ºF) between the early morning and the
late afternoon.
8.Exercise: Hard work or strenuous exercise can increase body
temperature to as high as 38.3Cº to 40 Cº( 101 to 104 ºF) measured
orally.
Alterations in Body Temperature
Pyrexia: A body temperature above the usual range is called pyrexia,
hyperthermia, or ( in lay terms) fever. A very high temperature, e.g. 41Cº
(105 ºF) is called hyperpyrexia.
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