Vital Signs Flashcards
Normal vital signs change with
age, sex, weight, exercise, tolerance, and condition
Baseline
use to identify changes in patient status
series of vital sign measurements establishes patient trends
Frequency
dependent on patient status and clinical judgement
Interpretation
Compare the patient’s results with normal values
Medical history and diagnosis a consideration
Normal temperature range
97.6-99.6 F
Average oral temperature
98.6
Hyperthermia temperature
> 104F
fever is a body defense
Hypothermia temperature
<95F
Oral temperature
most common
Axillary (armpit)
least accurate
Tympanic (ear)
used most in children
Temporal (forhead)
usually a bit higher than your actual temperature
Rectal (anus)
last resort in newborns but most accurate
Temperature measurement should occur at least
1 hour after exercise or bathing
30 minutes after smoking or consuming hot or cold food or beverages
Normal Heart Rate
60-100 bpm
fluctuates with exercise, illness, injury, emotions