Vital Signs: How to Take, Normal Ranges, & Nursing Best Practices

By Peter Jumba

Vital Signs: How to Take, Normal Ranges, & Nursing Best Practices.


A professional, high-quality photograph of a nurse or medical assistant (in clean scrubs) performing one of the vital sign checks (e.g., taking a radial pulse or blood pressure) while maintaining eye contact with the patient.

Master the essential skill of taking vital signs (Temp, Pulse, Resp, BP). Learn normal ranges, abnormal readings, and step-by-step measurement techniques in this must-read guide for nurses and MAs.

Vital signs are key physiological measurements—including temperature, pulse (heart rate), respiratory rate, and blood pressure—that indicate the status of the body's basic functions and overall health. These signs are used by healthcare professionals to assess a person's condition, detect potential health problems, and monitor recovery progress. 

The Traditional Vital Signs:

  • Body Temperature: Measures how hot the body is. Normal temperature can vary based on factors like age, activity level, time of day, and recent consumption of food or fluids. 


  • Pulse Rate (Heart Rate): The number of times the heart beats per minute, reflecting the rate at which blood is pumped through the body. 


  • Respiratory Rate: The rate of breathing, or how many breaths are taken in a minute. 


  • Blood Pressure: The force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. It is measured with two numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). 


Why Are Vital Signs Important?

  • Health Assessment: They provide insights into a person's general physical health.


  • Problem Detection: They can be early indicators of illness or potential medical problems. 


  • Treatment Monitoring: They help healthcare providers track a patient's recovery and the effectiveness of treatments.


Factors Affecting Vital Signs:

Normal vital sign values can differ from person to person and change with: Age, Sex, Weight, Exercise capacity, and Overall health status. 


How to take vital signs:

Vital signs are measurements of the body's most basic functions, providing crucial information about a person's general health. The four main vital signs are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure. In some clinical settings, pain and oxygen saturation are also monitored as additional vital signs. 


What Are Vital Signs, and Why Are They Important?

Normal ranges can vary based on a person's age, weight, and fitness level. Abnormal readings can be an early indicator of a medical problem. 


The four main vital signs:


1. Body temperature

  • What it measures: How hot the body is. The body regulates its temperature to optimize internal biological processes.


  • Normal range for adults: 97.8°F (36.5°C) to 99.1°F (37.3°C), with an average of 98.6°F (37°C).


Abnormal readings:

  • Fever: An elevated body temperature, which often indicates an infection.



  • Factors that influence it: Gender, physical activity, food and fluid intake, and the time of day can all affect body temperature. 


2. Pulse rate (heart rate)

  • What it measures: The number of times your heart beats per minute. A pulse also indicates the rhythm and strength of the heartbeats.


  • Normal range for adults: 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) while at rest. Highly conditioned athletes may have a lower resting heart rate.


Abnormal readings:



  • Factors that influence it: Exercise, illness, injury, and emotions can all increase the pulse rate. 


3. Respiration rate:


  • What it measures: The number of breaths you take per minute.


  • Normal range for adults: 12 to 18 breaths per minute while at rest.

Abnormal readings:

  • Tachypnea: A respiratory rate higher than normal, which can be caused by fever or illness.


  • Bradypnea: A respiratory rate lower than normal.


  • Factors that influence it: A person's respiration rate can increase with fever, anxiety, and other medical conditions. 


4. Blood pressure

  • What it measures: The force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries.


  • How it is read: Blood pressure is given as two numbers:


  • Systolic pressure (top number): The pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.


  • Diastolic pressure (bottom number): The pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.


  • Normal range for adults: Between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg.

Abnormal readings:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension): Can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.


  • Low blood pressure (hypotension): Can be a sign of dehydration or shock. 


Other vital signs:

Pain

  • What it measures: A subjective report of a patient's pain level, often on a scale of 0 to 10.


  • Significance: Used to help gauge a patient's comfort and assess their condition. 


Oxygen saturation:

  • What it measures: The amount of oxygen in the blood.


  • Normal range for healthy adults: 95% to 100%.


  • Significance: A reading below 95% can indicate that the body is not receiving enough oxygen and requires medical attention. 

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or a diagnosis, consult a professional.


What Are Vital Signs, and Why Are They Important?

To take a patient's vital signs, a medical professional measures temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure. Taking vital signs requires proper patient preparation, standardized techniques, and accurate equipment. 


General best practices:

  • Prepare the patient: Ensure the patient is calm, comfortable, and has been resting for at least five minutes before starting.


  • Consider influencing factors: For the most accurate readings, avoid taking measurements within 30 minutes of the patient smoking, exercising, or consuming hot or cold liquids.


  • Gather equipment: Collect the necessary tools, such as a thermometer, stethoscope, and blood pressure cuff.


  • Ensure hygiene: Wash your hands thoroughly before and after checking a patient's vital signs. 


How to measure body temperature:

Body temperature can be taken in several ways, with the most common methods being oral (by mouth), tympanic (in the ear), and axillary (in the armpit). 


Oral temperature:

  • Place a probe cover on the thermometer and insert the tip under the patient's tongue.


  • Instruct the patient to close their mouth and breathe through their nose.


  • Wait until the thermometer beeps, remove it, and record the reading.


Tympanic (ear) temperature:

  • Gently pull the patient's ear up and back (or down and back for children under 3) to straighten the ear canal.


  • Insert the thermometer probe and wait for the beep before removing it and recording the result.


Axillary (armpit) temperature:

  • Place the probe of the thermometer in the patient's armpit, ensuring it is on bare skin.


  • Ask the patient to hold their arm tightly against their body and wait for the beep.


Note that this method is generally less accurate than oral or rectal measurements. 


How to measure pulse (heart rate)

The pulse can be measured manually by palpating an artery, most commonly at the wrist (radial pulse). 

  • Use correct fingers: Use the tips of your index and middle fingers, not your thumb, to feel the pulse.


  • Locate the pulse: Place your fingers on the inside of the patient's wrist, at the base of the thumb.


  • Count the beats: Count the number of beats you feel over a full 60 seconds for the most accurate reading. For an estimate, count for 30 seconds and multiply by two.


  • Note regularity: While counting, observe whether the rhythm is regular or irregular. 


How to measure respiration rate

The number of breaths per minute is counted subtly to prevent the patient from consciously altering their breathing. 

  • Position the patient: Ensure the patient is resting quietly. It is often best to measure this immediately after taking the pulse, while still holding the patient's wrist, to keep the patient unaware.


  • Observe chest movement: Count the number of times the patient's chest or abdomen rises and falls over 60 seconds.


  • Note quality: Observe the depth of breaths and whether the breathing is easy or difficult. 


How to measure blood pressure:

Blood pressure can be measured manually with a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff with a pressure meter) and a stethoscope, or with an automated digital device. 

  • Prepare the patient: Have the patient sit with their back supported, legs uncrossed, and feet flat on the floor.


  • Position the arm: Bare the patient's arm and rest it on a flat surface, with the upper arm at heart level.


  • Apply the cuff: Place the appropriately sized cuff on the upper arm, 1 inch above the bend of the elbow.


Take the reading:

  • Manual method: Inflate the cuff, listen for Korotkoff sounds with the stethoscope over the brachial artery, and record the systolic (first sound) and diastolic (last sound) pressures.


  • Automatic device: Press the start button and wait for the monitor to display the reading automatically.


  • Record and repeat: Take at least two readings, waiting a minute or two between each, and average the results. Record the reading, the arm used, and the patient's position. 

Master Vital Signs Today!


Location: Nairobi Nairobi, Kenya

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