VITAL SIGNS

INTRODUCTION
 Assessing vital signs or When to Assess Vital Signs
cardinal sign is a routine ◦ On admission
medical procedure. And ◦ Change in client’s health status
somehow determines the ◦ Client reports symptoms such as
chest pain, feeling hot, or faint
internal functions of the body
◦ Pre and post surgery/invasive
 Vital signs composes of the procedure
following: ◦ Pre and post medication
 Body temperature administration that could affect
 Pulse CV system
 Respiration and ◦ Pre and post nursing intervention
 Blood pressure that could affect vital signs
 INTRODUCTION
 These signs, which should be looked at in total, are check to
monitor the function of the body.
 It reflect the changes in function thst otherwise might not be
observed.
 BODY
TEMPERATURE

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 BODY TEMPERATURE
◦ It is a balance between the internal and external environment
of the body, or
◦ It is the balance between the heat produced by the body and the
heat lost from the body.
◦ It is measured in heat units, called degrees
 Two types of Body temperature
CORE TEMPERATURE- it is the temperature of the
deep tissues of the body, such as the cranium, thorax,
abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity.
It remains relatively constant (37 °C/ 98 °F)
An accurate measurement is usually done using a
pulmonary catheter.
 Two types of Body temperature
SURFACE - is the temperature of the skin, the
subcutaneous tissues and fat
It constantly rises and falls in relation to the
environment
It varies from 20 °C (68 °F) to 40 °C (104 °F)
 Factors affecting heat production
1. BMR- is the rate of energy utilization in the body
required to maintain essential activities such as
breathing, walking, speaking and others.
 Metabolic rate decreases with age
2. Muscle Activity- such as shivering increases
metabolic rate
 Example: walking, jogging etc
 Factors affecting heat production
3. Thyroxine output- increase in thyroxine hormone,
increases the rate of cellular metabolism throughout
the body.
 This is called Chemical thermogenesis, the
stimulation of heat production in the body through
increase cellular metabolism.
4. Sympathetic stimulation- the release of epinephrine
and nor epinephrine thus increase the rate of cellular
metabolism
5. Fever- it increases metabolic rate and thus increases
the body temperature
 Factors affecting heat loss
1. Radiation is the transfer of heat from the surface of
one object to the surface of another without contact
between the two objects

2. Conduction is the transfer of heat from one molecule

to another. E.g. the body is immersed in ice water
 Factors affecting heat loss
3. Convection is the dispersion of heat by air currents

4. Evaporation is the continuous evaporation of moisture

from the respiratory tract and from the mucosa of the
mouth as well as from the skin.
 Regulation of body temperature
System that regulates body temperature

1. Sensors in the skin and in the core

2. An integrator in the hypothalamus and
3. A system that adjusts the production and loss of heat.
NOTE: the skin has a more receptor for colds than
warmth, it therefore detect cold more efficiently that
warmth
 Factors affecting Body temperature
1. Age – infants greatly influenced by the temperature,
children more labile than adult and elderly are
extremely sensitive to environmental change due to
decreased thermoregulatory control
2. Diurnal variations (circadian rhythms) – Body
temperature normally change throughout the day,
varying as much as 1.0 °C between early morning and
late afternoon
 Factors affecting Body temperature
The point of highest body temperature is usually reached
between 8pm and 12 midnight and the lowest point is
reached during sleep between 4a.m. and 6 a.m.
3. Exercise
4. Hormones –women usually experience more
hormone fluctuations than men, progesterone secretion
in women raises body temperature.
5. Stress- epinephrine and nor epinephrine increases
metabolic activity and heat production
 Alteration in Body temperature
Pyrexia, hyperpyrexia or fever- increase body
temperature
 febrile with fever
 Afebrile without fever
Types of fever
Intermittent-alternate body temperature (time)
Remittent- wide range of temperature fluctuation
Relapsing- short febrile periods few days then normal
Constant- continuous
Hypothermia- decrease in core temperature below the low
limit of normal
 Types of Thermometer
1. Mercury in glass
Oral thermometer have a long, slender tips
Rectal thermometer have a short, rounded tips
2. Electronic thermometer
Digital thermometer
3. Chemical thermometer
4. Temperature sensitive strip
5. Infrared thermometer
Tympanic thermometer
Oral thermometer (Glass)
Digital Thermometer
Sites commonly used in taking BT

Oral- most common

Axilla –mostly used in infants and children
Rectal- second choice
Tympanic membrane- most favorable site