The Importance Of Vital Signs Of Essential Signs Essay

* It is important to think about confidentiality when taking a patients physiological measurements because by law patients notes and details have to be kept private.

2.7 Monitoring physiological measurements it´s important to make sure the individual health status and also necessary after surgery, as patients in intensive care units require continuous monitoring, and sometimes have medications that requires physical measurements taken. These are measurements we take to ensure that they are functioning in the way they are supposed to. When we carry out physiological measurements, such as measuring temperature, pulse and respiration, we are monitoring for signs of abnormality. Then be able to draw conclusions about the health status of the individual and any treatments they may

I and my colleague systematically assessed the patient using rapid assessment (ABCDE) and observation of vital sign. ABCDE mean assessing patient Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability and Exposure. Vital signs consist of blood pressure, pulse temperature, and respiration rate. They are essential basic observation that provides information on which clinical decisions are based and for identifying when any nursing or medical intervention is required according to Lina and Barbara (2008 p59).

Vital observations were carried out efficiently, they were recorded every 15 minutes and a cardiac monitor was attached to continuously monitor for any deterioration. As a student nurse I assisted by recording vital observations using NEWS and assessing consciousness by using the Glasgow coma scale to ensure there were no signs of brain trauma (Le Roux, Levine and Kofke, 2013). In line with the NMC, my mentor supervised and countersigned my observations (NMC, 2011b). I promoted good patient safety as deterioration would be recognised early and appropriate care provided. Throughout the treatment process I witnessed and provided person centred care. Nursing and medical staff continuously checked patient comfort and obtained consent for treatment being provided.

Patient care technicians (PCT’s), formally known as nursing assistants, are the backbone to any nursing department. They create rapport with the patients and family members, as well as the nursing and medical staff. Some of the tasks PCT’s are responsible for include: obtaining and recording vital signs, collecting and labeling specimens, blood glucose specimen, and obtaining electrocardiograms (ECG). All these tasks are important and critical in an emergency. PCT’s designated to work in medical surgical floors may not remember the steps for obtaining a good ECG reading. Like the saying goes: if you don’t use it, you lose it. The most common reason ECG’s are misinterpreted is due to incorrect lead placement. PCT’s in critical settings such

2.2 Body temperature is a measurement of the body’s ability to generate or get rid of excess heat. When the body gets to hot the blood vessels near the skin dilate to carry the excess heat to your skins surface. You will also begin to sweat as the sweat evaporates this helps cool you body. When the body becomes too cold our blood vessels contract, this reduces the blood flow to the skins surface to conserve body heat. As we become colder the body can start an involuntary response called shivering. This is where the muscles of the body rapidly contract this extra muscle activity helps generate more heat. Normal body temperature is around 37°C this is an average of normal body temperatures. Your temperature may actually be 0.6°C above or below 37°C depending on the outside temperature or you level of activity.

These include, but are not limited to, taking patient vitals manually and electronically (blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, temperature, high and weight). I have experience in performing pregnancy tests, glucose tests, Strep tests, Flu tests as well as collecting and testing urine and feces. I have also had the practice of patient safety as well as safety for myself and my co-workers. I learned the importance of proper documentation and how it is crucial to a practice.

Normal temperature for the human body is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This is about 37

Therefore, a formative assessment was performed in the third week of placement without any concern pass or fail results (Gopee, 2015 p.174). However, the vital signs assessment tool (VSAT) was created by the author of this report (Appendix A) based on evidence based practice (EBP) in order to meet the clinical learning environment (CLE) needs as suggested by Bradshaw et al., (2012). Although, the STN feels happy to perform the assessment, nevertheless, the STN requires support since this is the first time to perform VS on a real patient. Consequently, a mentor checklist was used (Appendix B) to create CLE (RCN, 2007), to reduce the level of anxiety also to enhance learning experience (Anderson, 2011) and to ensure the STN feels being part of

The human body’s normal core body temperature is 98.6 degrees fahrenheit or 37.0 degrees celsius. Once the body’s core temperature rises above 40.0 degrees celsius hyperthermia quickly occurs causing physiological effects on the nervous system including some severe

Vital signs are a fundamental component of nursing care and indicate the body’s ability to maintain blood flow, regulate temperature and regulate oxygenate the body tissue. Taking vital signs are essential in revealing any sudden changes in the body, which could potentially indicate clinical deterioration of the patient.

The purpose of this journal is to reflect on my experience and skills gained during my clinical placement at Ben Taub Hospital. On my first clinical day, I was excited and nervous at the same time. My first placement was in the PREOP/PACU area. I was assigned to help a patient who had been in the PACU area going on 2 days. Normally, once the patient comes from surgery they are only in the PACU area for a short period of time before they are discharged home or given a bed in another area of the hospital. This particular patient still had not received an assignment for a bed. The physicians would make their rounds to come check on him daily. The patient was a 28-year-old Hispanic male, non-English speaking, he had a hemicolectomy. He had a NG tube, urinary Foley catheter, and a wound vac. My preceptor had just clocked in and she needed to check on the patient’s vitals and notes from the previous nurse. Once she introduced me to the patient and explained while I was there, she then asked me to check his vitals. (Vital signs indicate the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, maintain blood flow, and oxygenate body tissues. Vital signs are important indicators of a client’s overall health status (Hogan, 2014). I froze for a quick second. I have practiced taking vitals numerous of times and I knew I could do it correctly. I started with the temperature first, when I was quickly corrected on a major mistake I had made by my preceptor. I HAD FORGOT TO WASH MY HANDS and PUT

Vital signs are measurements of the body’s most basic functions. They are very useful in detecting and monitoring medical problems. There are five main types of vital signs which are temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and pain. They can be measured in a medical setting, at home, at the site of a medical emergency, or elsewhere.

Recording an electrocardiogram or ECG, is a procedure which is performed daily all over the United Kingdom by thousands of healthcare workers and in particular nurses (Jacobson, 2000). The way in which this procedure is performed varies from geographical location to location and occasionally even more so, between staff on the same ward (Amos, 2000). This reason stated by Amos (2000), formed the basis of my decision to choose this topic.

This essay aims to provide a discussion of vital signs and how they are relevant to contemporary nursing practice. This is done by;