In the medical field, knowledge is the number key or tool to take control of a patients throughout your shift and career because not every patient will have the same symptoms or illness as one another. Vital signs is a much needed skill to keep your patients alive without reading the wrong results or documenting the wrong results. Vital signs are determined if your heart is pumping enough blood and oxygen to your entire body. Vital signs include respirations, blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. During this essay, I’ll discuss the usual rate of pulse within different categories of age groups, locations and how to complete the skill of a pulse rate on a patient or a loved one. When it comes to the topic of pulse, what comes to mind? If …show more content…
First, place the tips of your index and third fingers on the palm side of your other wrist below the base of the thumb (Pulse and Target Heart Rate (THR), n.d.). Or, you can place the tips of your index and second fingers on your lower neck on either side of your windpipe (Pulse and Target Heart Rate (THR), n.d.). Or, you can determine your pulse as I mentioned above on the different sites that you would like to do. However, your wrist is more common than any other site on your body. Secondly, after determining your site, you can press lightly on your fingers until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers (Pulse and Target Heart Rate (THR), n.d.). If you can’t find your pulse, you can move your fingers until you feel the heartbeat. You might have to press harder because some people’s arteries and veins are closer to inside of the body. Thirdly, to count your heartrate, you’re going to need to get a second hand watch, or you can use a clock with a second hand. Either one will work for the procedure or skill. Lastly, you will start counting when looking at the clock. You can determine your heart beat in thirty seconds. Once you have a number in thirty seconds, you can multiply by two sense it will equal a full minute. After your mathematics, you’ve officially finished the skill and can record your readings into a booklet or just do it for the fun of
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
Once the thirty seconds was up, the person counting stopped and the heart rate (beats per second) was recorded. The same process was done again, but the counter counted the hearts beats for 1 minute. Again, after the 1-minute was up the heart rate was recorded for 1 minute. The same process was done again for 2 minutes, afterwards being recorded.
Pulse oximeter used to check his oxygen saturation level, which was 98% on air with no central or peripheral cyanosis. Since Mr Devi, does not seem to have any sign of abnormal respiration. The next assessment is circulation, where there are many physical signs to look for. The colour of the hand and digits, are they blue, pink, pale or mottled. Also need to measure for capillary refill time (CRT) by applying cutaneous pressure for 5 Sec on a fingertip held at heart level of Mr. Devi. The normal value of CRT is usually less than 2 second prolonged CRT suggests poor peripheral perfusion. Measure his Blood Pressure (B/P), count pulse rate by listening to the heart with a stethoscope or palpate peripheral and central pulses, assessing for the presence, rate, quality, regularity and equality. All of this assessment indicates the cardiovascular system in the patient is within the normal range or is there any emergency measures should take (Resus.org.uk 2016). However, Mr Devi’s circulation is a concern because his HR was 110bpm which is higher than normal range, the normal heart beat for adults ranges from 60-100bpm. Also his BP was 190/99mmhg with mean arterial pressure (MAP) of
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.
SureSigns VS4 Vital Signs Monitor INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE Release A.04 English Notice Proprietary Information This document contains proprietary information, which is protected by copyright. Copyright Copyright © 2012
An untrained 22-year-old male human subject was chosen. A PT-104 pulse plethysmograph was wrapped around his dominant (right) index finger. Connected through a IXTA data acquisition unit, heart rate was monitored on LabScribe. The recordings were measured with ten seconds of leeway at the beginning and end to allow baseline pulse recovery. Digital marks labeled the time interval of the described action. First the subject’s heart rate was measured during a resting phase for twenty seconds. He was encouraged to relax and remain inactive in order to confirm an accurate baseline reading. For the apneic condition, the subject repeated this
The pulse is an indication of an individual’s heart rate. When checking for a pulse in the primary survey, begin with palpating the patient’s radial or carotid artery (Basic Patient Care 2012, p. 50). This may reveal a normal (60-100 beats/min), tachycardia (<100 beats/min), bradycardia (> 60 beats/min) or asystole heart rate. Additionally, the capillary refill may also provide details about a patient’s cardiovascular status. This is performed by applying pressure to the nail bed and calculating the time it to takes to refill to a normal color, which should take no more then a few seconds otherwise suggesting capillary closure (Mick J Sanders, 2012, p. 1400). An additional accessory to Circulation is Hemorrhages, these involve more through examinations of the pulse, blood pressure and warmth of peripheries of patients. Additionally, you must thoroughly look for indication of bleeding, specifically in the areas around the chest, abdomen and externally seen by the eye.
This experiment was carried out as noted about in Procedure 1. The resting heart rate was established and used as a baseline value from which to compare all future deviations. While data could
Monitoring of the vital signs should be closely monitored (pulse, blood pressure, respiration and pulse oximetry
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 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.
This essay aims to provide a discussion of vital signs and how they are relevant to contemporary nursing practice. This is done by;
· Instructions for obtaining your own heart rate: to locate your pulse on the side of the neck, place your first two fingers, which are called the index and middle finger on the side of the neck in the hollow between the windpipe and the large muscle in the neck.
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.
In regards to this week’s assignment on written instructions, I have chosen to write the topic on the steps to take in obtaining electrocardiogram, most commonly called ECG. An ECG is very important equipment not only in a hospital environment but also to outside facility because it can detect any abnormalities in a person’s heart status in the shortest time making it very efficient to start treatment as soon as possible. The audience that my instructions aims for are not only to those that have some medical background but also to some individuals who may have a basic understanding of some medical terms. They do not necessarily need to have some special skills in order to obtain an ECG. However, if they are to interpret the result of the recorded ECG, then additional learning and training is needed. These instructions are designed to be easily understood not only to healthcare professional as a form of refresher, but is also targeted to potential reader who would want to learn in obtaining an ECG.