Health Assessment: Step-by-Step Guide to Measuring Vital Signs

This assignment provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to measuring key vital signs, crucial for health assessment. It covers the procedures for measuring oral temperature using a thermometer, emphasizing proper technique and safety precautions. The assignment then outlines the process of measuring blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer, including cuff placement, stethoscope use, and recording systolic and diastolic readings. It also details the method for determining respiration rate, including patient positioning and counting breaths. Furthermore, the assignment describes how to measure pulse, including proper finger placement and counting techniques. Finally, it explains how to measure peak flow using a peak flow meter, including patient positioning and accurate reading of the results. The assignment incorporates relevant figures and references to support the explanations, providing a comprehensive overview of vital signs measurement for healthcare professionals and students.

Most patients have their vital signs be measured by healthcare assistants or
registered nurses in order to identify any abnormality in the normal
physiological functioning of the human body.
Pulse measurement
Respiration rate
Routine measurements of body system
Name of the Student
Name of the University
References
Pulse refers to tactile arterial palpation of the rate at which the heart
pumps blood across the human body and is generally measured by using
a heart rate monitor (HRM) or by placing the fingers at the radial artery.
• Make the patient sit in a relaxed position
• Straighten the elbow of the patient and make the wrist face upwards
• Position the middle and index fingers of the dominant hand in a manner
that the fingertips align
• Ask patients to form a fist, upon which a ligament gets elevated
beneath the skin
• Place the fingers next to the ligament on the side of the thumb
• Feel the throbbing of the radial artery beneath
• Start a timer and count the pulse beats for fifteen seconds
• Multiply the count by four to obtain pulse rate/minute
Biologycorner.com., 2018. Lab: Measuring Blood Pressure. [online] Available at:
https://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/measuring_blood_pressure.html [Accessed 22 Apr. 2019]
Kidshealth.org., 2018. How to Take Your Child's Temperature. [online] Available at:
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/take-temperature.html [Accessed 22 Apr. 2019]
Masimo.cn., 2018. Acoustic respiration rate. [online] Available at: http://www.masimo.cn/rra/index.htm
[Accessed 22 Apr. 2019]
Medicalnewstoday.com., 2017. What is the pulse and how do I check it? [online] Available at:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258118.php [Accessed 22 Apr. 2019]
Medlineplus.gov., 2018. How to measure peak flow. [online] Available at:
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientimages/000116.htm [Accessed 22 Apr. 2019]
The pressure exerted by circulating bloodstream on the walls of the
arteries is referred to as blood pressure. A sphygmomanometer is
commonly used to measure arterial blood pressure.
• Locate the pulse
• Slide the cuff to the arm and secure it near the brachial artery
• Position stethoscope on the same arm and palpate it near antecubical
fossa
• Inflate the cuff until it stops blood flow and no sounds are heard
• Begin deflation
• Record the systolic reading with a tap noise prior to the rhythmic sound
• Record the diastolic reading with a stop in the sound
It refers to the number of breaths a person takes, per minute
• Allow the person to relax
• Use a watch and count the number of times the person’s chest moves
up and down for a complete minute
• Assess for orientation and alertness of the person to place and time
• Note the pause between each breath
Health assessment Blood pressure
Oral temperature
measurement
Glass thermometers containing mercury inside are most commonly used for
measurement of body temperature, in order to detect the presence of fever
or febrile response.
• Wash the hands with warm water and soap
• Take a clean thermometer
• Do not drink or eat anything for a minimum of five minutes prior to
measurement of temperature
• Firmly shake it downwards numerous times of the mercury line reads more
than 35.6°C
• Place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue
• Hold it in the same region for at least 2-3 minutes and do not bite the
glass
• Remove it without holding the tip
• Hold it at eye level and record the line of mercury
Peak flow readings
Peak expiratory flow refers to maximum expiration speed of a person and
is typically measured using a peak flow meter.
• Ensure that the arrow or sliding marker on the meter is at the scale
botton
• Make the patient stand up straight and put the meter mouthpiece inside
the mouth, by closing the lips securely
• Ask patient to blow air quickly and hard in one breath
• Note the movement of the marker
• Repeat thrice
• Record the highest rating
Figure 1- Temperature measurement
Source- Kidshealth.org 2018
Figure 2- Pulse measurement
Source- Medicalnewstoday.com 2017
Figure 3- Pressure measurement
Source- Biologycorner.com 2018
Figure 5- Peak flow measurement
Source- Medlineplus.gov 2018
Figure 4- Respiratory rate
measurement
Source- Masimo.cn 2018