Name: _____________________ Score: _________________

Course/ Section:______________ Date: _______________

LEARNING ACTIVITY NO. 2

DETERMINATION OF VITAL SIGNS

OBJECTIVES:

1. To acquire the skills on how to properly obtain the vital signs.

2. To interpret accurately the results obtained in the determination of vital signs

MATERIALS

Aneroid Blood Pressure Monitors or Manual blood pressure monitors(

Sphymomanometer, stethoscope)
Digital blood pressure monitors (electronic or automatic blood pressure monitor)
Clinical thermometer ( different kinds)
70% rubbing alcohol
Cotton (cotton balls)
Watch with second hand

PROCEDURE:

1. Identify your partner. You are the examiner and your partner is your patient.
2. The patient must be comfortable.
3. The temperature must be taken.
• The kind of thermometer to be used must be examined and make sure that the
different kinds of thermometer and its usage must be identified.
• The thermometer must be sterilized with the use of cotton balls with alcohol, in a
circular motion start from the bulb to the stem.
• The thermometer must be placed in the intended site of the body where body
temperature must be taken.
• The body temperature must be identified by reading the thermometer at once.
• The thermometer must be cleansed by using cotton balls with alcohol from the
stem to the bulb.
4. Take the Pulse or Heart Rate (PR/HR), Respiratory Rate (RR)
• The HR of the patient must be taken by auscultation for full minute.
• The hand of the patient must be gently grasp where the pulse is located, then the
Respiratory Rate (RR) of the patient must be determined by looking at her/his
 chest and counting the respiration for a full minute. (NOTE: the patient must
not be conscious while the partner is taking on the Respiratory Rate (RR) by
holding continuously the hand of the patient in such a way that it will look like
his/her Pulse Rate (PR) is being taken but actually counting the respiration)
5. Take the blood pressure (BP)
• The different kinds of sphymomanometer must be identified.
• The parts of the sphygmomanometer and stethoscope must be identified.
• Place the cuff on the forearm of your patient making sure that there is enough
space for the placement of the head of the stethoscope.
• The patient must be asked about their usual BP to have baseline on up to what
extent the cuff should be inflated.
• The air must be release slowly to identify the systole and diastole.
• The BP must be relayed to the patient.
6. The vital signs must be interpreted.

DATA AND RESULTS:

Vital signs Results Interpretation

Temperature (T)
Heart Rate (HR)
Pulse Rate (PR
Respiratory rate (RR)
Blood pressure (BP)
QUESTIONS:

1. How do clinical thermometers differ from each other?

2. What are the importance of determining an individual’s vital signs?

3. Aside from diurnal variations in body temperature, what other factors may cause
variations?
4. What is the clinical significance of an elevated body temperature? What causes the
thermoregulatory center to be reset to a higher temperature?

5. What are the importance of identifying the vital signs of your patient?

6. List the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities used in the treatment of

an elevated body temperature and state the rationale each.