FIRST AID AND
EMERGENCY CARE
LECTURE 4
Vital Signs
Introduction



Vital Signs are indicators of health status, they
are: Temperature, Pulse, Respiration, Blood
Pressure
Many factors such as the temperature of the
environment, physical activity and effects of
illness cause vital signs to change, sometimes
beyond a normal range.
Measurement of Vital Signs provides data that
can be used to determine a client’s usual state of
health (baseline data)

Vital Signs are quick & efficient way of
monitoring a condition or identifying the
presence of problems.
Guidelines for Taking Vital Signs



Vital Signs are a part of the database that is
collected during assessment
The process of taking Vital Signs is not a routine
but is individualized to the client’s needs and
condition
The first aider must be able to:
Measure Vital Signs correctly
 Understand & interpret the values
 Communicate findings appropriately
 Begin interventions as needed

Major Vital Signs






These are signs that are used by nurses and
other health professionals to follow-up the
patient's condition and to detect any variation in
these signs. They include:
Pulse
Respiration
Temperature
Blood pressure
Pupils




Colors
Level of consciousness
Stroke pain
Ability to move
PULSE




The Pulse is the palpable bounding of blood
flow noted at various points in the body
It is an indicator of circulatory status. Circulation
is the means by which cells receive nutrients &
remove waste products of metabolism.
Reflects the rate of the heart beats
When a Pulse wave reaches a peripheral artery,
it can be palpated by palpating the artery lightly
against underlying bone or muscle.



The middle two- three fingers of the hand are
used to palpate a peripheral Pulse. The tips are
the most sensitive parts of the fingers for
detecting the pulsation of the arterial wall.
Normal heart rate ranges between 60-80 beats
/min
An abnormally slow, rapid or irregular pulse may
indicate a problem in circulatory regulation.
Assessment of common variations in
heart rate


Tachycardia: is an abnormally elevated heart
rate above100 beats / minute
Bradycardia: is a rate below 60 beats / minutes
Temporal, Carotid, Brachial, Radial
RESPIRATION


1.
2.
Human survival depends on the ability of
oxygen (O2) to reach body cells and for carbon
dioxide (CO2) to be removed from the cells.
Respiration involves two distinctly different
processes:
External Respiration: The movement of air
between the environment & lungs
Internal Respiration: The movement of
Oxygen between hemoglobin & single cell


It is the means by which oxygen enters the blood
through the lungs during breathing in and carbon
dioxide is expelled during breathing out.
Normal Respiratory Rate: Adults normally
breathe smoothly, and uninterrupted,12-20 b/m


You can directly assess only the process of
external Respiration, specifically by assessing
ventilation.
The Rate, Depth & Rhythm of ventilatory
movements indicate the quality & efficiency of
the respiratory process
Depth: Deep, Shallow, Normal
 Rhythm: Regular, Irregular

TEMPERATURE



Temperature is the “hotness” or “coldness” of a
substance
The body’s Temperature remains within a
relatively narrow range for optimal function
A person’s body Temperature remains relatively
stable despite internal extremes (Ex. Metabolic
changes) or external conditions (Ex. Climatic
Temperature).



Average body temp is 37 degrees Centigrade
A thermometer registers the body’s core
Temperature.
When the body’s core Temperature rises above
normal, Hyperthermia occurs.
When the body’s core Temperature falls below
normal, Hypothermia occurs.
BLOOD PRESSURE




Blood Pressure is the force exerted by the blood
against a vessel wall.
The standard unit for measuring Blood Pressure
is millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
The measurement indicates the heights to which
the Blood Pressure can raise a column of
mercury.
During a normal cardiac cycle, Blood Pressure
reaches a peak that is followed by a trough:



The peak or maximum pressure occurs during
Systole as the left ventricle pumps blood into the
aorta,
The trough occurs during Diastole as the
ventricle relaxes.
It means the force required by the heart to pump
blood from the ventricles of the heart into the
arteries. It is measured in systolic (contraction of
ventricles) and diastolic pressure (relaxation of
ventricle).


Normal Bp:120/80 or 100/70 mm/Hg
Range:
Systolic (90-140)/
 Diastolic (60-90)




Hypertension: High blood pressure
Hypotension : Low blood pressure
Vital Signs According to Age
PUPILS


Check the pupils for size, equality and reactivity
Examine both eyes (pupils reaction to the light =
restriction)
COLOUR


Color of the skin and mucous membrane,
(conjunctiva, inside of the lips)
Cyanosis ( bluish discoloration of the skin )
LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Used during :
Cardiac arrest,
 Head injuries and
 Any comatose patient to assess responsiveness

REACTION TO PAIN


in case of cardiac arrest, response to painful
stimuli can be tested
a pin or sharper object can be used in assessing
reaction to pain
ABILITY TO MOVE

If the patient is conscious and if spinal or neck
injury is suspected assess the patient's ability to
move his upper and lower extremities.