Measuring Vitals
Name: Ashanti Gallimore
Course: Practical Nursing
Teacher: Marcia Bonner
Due Date: August 15, 2024
Table of Content
● ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………1
● State of Hydration……………………..2
● Condition of blood vessels……………..3
● Emotion…………………………………4
● Exercise………………………………… 5
● Obesity…………………………………..6
● Medication………………………………7
● Diet………………………………………8
● Age………………………………………9
● Infection……………………………….10
● Time and day………………………….11
● Pregnancy……………………………..12
● Illness………………………………….13
● Menstrual cycle……………………….14
● Temperature…………………………..15
● Hereditary…………………………….16
● Explain environmental temperature
● is important to the care of the client………………………………...
…..17
● Draw the body and indicate the
● different pulse point …………………..18
● What is meant by the
● term vital signs?.......................................19
● On the chart provided show how you would chart the following
vital signs 4 hourly, temperature respiration and blood pressure
…………………………………………...20
● Bibliography…………………………….21
● Glossary…………………………………22
1. )Acknowledgement
★ We appreciate the timely and accurate recording of vital signs, a crucial component in
patient care. Your diligence ensures a comprehensive understanding of the patient's
health status, contributing to effective diagnosis and treatment. Thank you for your
commitment to maintaining high standards in healthcare.
Assignment: Measure Vital Signs
1.The following terms are presented in this particular unit and these can
affect the vital signs of life.Write brief notes on the following:
★ 2.)State of Hydration
Being able to assess the hydration status of a patient is an important skill that you'll regularly use in
clinical practice. It involves assessment of whether a patient is dehydrated OR fluid overloaded to
inform ongoing clinical management.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: If you are dehydrated, the amount of blood circulating through your body decreases.
Your heart will try to compensate by beating faster, increasing your heart rate.
2. Temperature: During exercise in the heat, sweat output often exceeds water intake which
results in a body water deficit (hypohydration) and electrolyte losses.
3. Blood pressure: Dehydration can cause your blood pressure to change. A drop in blood
volume can lead to a potentially dangerous drop in blood pressure and even shock.
4. Respiration: The respiration-water content curve shows a steep gradient, which becomes less
steep as the water content decreases. That is, the rate of respiration, as measured by the CO2
output, decreases at a less rate per unit of water content, the less the amount of water present
in the tissues.
★ 3.)Condition of Blood Vessels
Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system, or system of blood
vessels. This ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins and lymph vessels to blood disorders that
affect circulation. Blood vessels are elastic-like tubes that carry blood to every part of your body.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: The greater the pulse pressure, the stiffer and more damaged the blood vessels are
thought to be. Blood pressure medicines may not lower pulse pressure.
2. Temperature: Blood pressure generally is higher in the winter and lower in the summer.
That's because low temperatures cause blood vessels to temporarily narrow.
3. Blood pressure: Over time, high blood pressure increases the pressure of blood flowing
through the arteries. This may cause: Damaged and narrowed arteries. High blood pressure
can damage the cells of the arteries' inner lining.
4. Respiration: The circulatory system, which is made up of the heart and blood vessels,
supports the respiratory system by bringing blood to and from the lungs.
★ 4.)Emotion
Emotions are conscious mental reactions (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong
feelings usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and
behavioral changes in the body.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: For centuries, scientists have debated whether the heart holds sway over the mind, and
now, research published today (March 1) in Nature suggests that physical states can influence
emotional ones. The study found that an elevated heart rate can cause anxious behaviors in
mice—but only in risky circumstances.
2. Temperature: Extremely hot temperatures can cause us to feel irritable and agitated, while
extremely cold temperatures can make us feel sluggish and unmotivated.
3. Blood pressure: On the one hand, the researchers showed that higher systolic blood
pressure is associated with fewer depressive symptoms, greater well-being and lower emotion-
related brain activity.
4. Respiration: When you're feeling calm, your nervous system is in a relaxed state, and your
breath becomes slower. On the other hand, emotions like fear and anxiety can cause shortness
of breath.
★ 5.)Exercise
Exercise is intentional physical activity to enhance or maintain fitness and overall health. It is
performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and
improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic skills, improve
health, or simply for enjoyment.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: During exercise, your body may need three or four times your normal cardiac output,
because your muscles need more oxygen when you exert yourself. During exercise, your heart
typically beats faster so that more blood gets out to your body.
2. Temperature: The body needs to work harder to perform in a harsher climate and be able to
generate adequate heat to keep warm. When the body is exposed to a significant change in
temperature, elevation or intensity, its initial need for energy increases, so it breaks down
glycogen, a form of carbohydrate, in the muscles.
3. Blood pressure: Regular exercise makes the heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump
more blood with less effort. As a result, the force on the arteries decreases. This lowers blood
pressure.
4. Respiration: When you exercise and your muscles work harder, your body uses more oxygen
and produces more carbon dioxide. To cope with this extra demand, your breathing has to
increase from about 15 times a minute (12 liters of air) when you are resting, up to about 40–
60 times a minute (100 liters of air) during exercise.
★ 6.)Obesity
Obesity is the excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat or adipose tissue in the body that may impair
health.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Having Obesity May Increase Your Resting Heart Rate. Obesity may raise the risk of
an elevated resting heart rate, which is associated with many cardiovascular health problems.
But other factors can also play a role, such as heat, stress, or certain medications.
2. Temperature: The study found that obesity is associated with a significant reduction of body
core temperature during daytime hours
3. Blood pressure: Obesity can cause high blood pressure (hypertension), which increases the
risk of disability and death.
4. Respiration: Fat stored in your chest and abdomen can restrict your lungs' ability to expand,
even at rest.
★ 7.)Medication
Medicines are chemicals or compounds used to cure, halt, or prevent disease; ease symptoms; or help
in the diagnosis of illnesses.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Several medications can affect the electrical signals in your heart and make your heart
beat faster.
2. Temperature: When medication is stored at an extremely hot or cold temperature, it can
become compromised or degrade more quickly.
3. Blood pressure: Causing your body to get rid of water, which decreases the amount of water
and salt in your body to a healthy level.
4. Respiration: Difficulty breathing is also a side effect of some medications and illegal drugs
★ 8.)Diet
A diet is a meal plan that controls the intake of certain foods or nutrients.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Replacing half or even all the meat you eat with pulses is a great way to eat less
unhealthy saturated fat, manage your weight and keep your digestive system healthy.
2. Temperature: However, in the process of processing with a high temperature background,
physical and chemical changes occur that can change the nutritional structure of the dish. If
you do not pay attention to the cooking temperature, some food groups can lose a lot of
nutritional components.
3. Blood pressure: The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure.
4. Respiration: Consuming a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and
antioxidants helps protect the lungs from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, improving
respiratory function and reducing the risk of respiratory disease.
9.)Hereditary
Hereditary diseases, also known as inherited diseases or genetic disorders, are defined and categorized
as being a set of genetic diseases that are caused by changes in one's genetic material (DNA).
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses indicate that higher genetically
predicted resting heart rate increases risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, but decreases risk of
developing atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, and cardio-embolic stroke.
2. Temperature: Our study suggests that genetic changes caused by the loss of alpha-actinin-3
in our skeletal muscle affect how well we can tolerate cold temperatures, with those that are
alpha-actinin-3 deficient better able to maintain their body temperature and conserve their
energy by shivering less during cold exposure.
3. Blood pressure: A family history of high blood pressure is a risk factor for you developing
high blood pressure.
4. Respiration: Hereditary lung diseases can affect lungs, liver and/or skin.
10.)Age
Aging can be defined as the time-related deterioration of the physiological functions necessary for
survival and fertility.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: For example, as you get older, your heart can't beat as fast during physical activity or
times of stress as it did when you were younger. However, the number of heartbeats per minute
(heart rate) at rest does not change significantly with normal aging.
2. Temperature: A reduced ability to maintain internal body temperature during heat or cold
stress can increase the risk for hyperthermia or hypothermia.
3. Blood pressure: High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health problem that is
common in older adults. Your body's network of blood vessels, known as the vascular system,
changes with age. Arteries get stiffer, causing blood pressure to go up.
4. Respiration: Respiratory muscle strength decreases with age and can impair effective cough,
which is important for airway clearance. The lung matures by age 20–25 years, and thereafter
aging is associated with
progressive decline in lung function.
★ 11.)Infection
An infection is the invasion and growth of a microorganism within the body.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: It's common for your pulse rate to increase in response to an infection or fever.
2. Temperature: "When the temperature rises, the virus's genetic material changes its form
and density, becoming more fluid-like, which leads to its rapid injection into the cell,"
3. Blood pressure: "For example, a common thing that happens when you get an infection is
that the blood vessels dilate," Wang said. "That's an overreaction to the invasion of the
infection in the bloodstream. And because of that, your blood pressure drops." The body then
struggles to deliver adequate blood and oxygen to vital organs.
4. Respiration: During an infection inflammation and mucus can make it harder to take
breaths, leading to increased respiratory rate.
★ 12.)Time of Day
The day shift usually starts around 7 a.m., though it can start as early as 5 a.m. for some nurses. This
shift often continues until the evening, around 7 p.m. The night shift usually begins between 6:30 and
7 p.m. Working the night shift typically means nurses work overnight and into the morning until
around 7 a.m..
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: There is a day-night rhythm in resting heart rate: faster during the awake period, and
slower during the rest period.
2. Temperature: During the day, the air temperature increases as energy gains exceed the
energy lost from Earth's surface (mainly through the processes of convection and radiation).
Throughout the night, the air temperature decreases as Earth's surface loses more energy than
it receives.
3. Blood pressure: Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up.
It continues to rise during the day, peaking at midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the
late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping.
4. Respiration: Note that breathing event frequency was greater in the morning compared with
the afternoon and evening in N1 and the duration of breathing events was greater in the
morning in both N1 and N2.
13.)Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the term used to describe the period in which a fetus develops inside a woman's womb or
uterus. Pregnancy usually lasts about 40 weeks, or just over 9 months, as measured from the last
menstrual period to delivery.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Heart rate changes during pregnancy are normal. The body has to pump more blood
and compensate by lowering blood pressure and pumping faster.
2. Temperature: If you're pregnant and your body temperature goes above 102.2°F (39°C) for
long periods of time, there is a risk of birth defects or other pregnancy problems, especially
during the first trimester. Later in pregnancy, it can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or
heat stroke in the mother.
3. Blood pressure: High blood pressure during pregnancy poses the following risks: Less
blood flow to the placenta.
4. Respiration: Respiratory resistance increases while respiratory conductance decreases
during pregnancy.
★ 14.)Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared
with a previous level.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Things like fever, hyperthyroidism, pain, illness and exercise cause the heart rate to
increase in order to give the body the blood it needs for these more demanding situations.
Dehydration is also a common reason your heart rate may go up.
2. Temperature: Loss of internal temperature control can result in various illnesses, including
heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and hyperthermia from extreme heat events.
3. Blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic,
which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease.
4. Respiration: Diseases that prevent adequate inflation of lungs cause alveolar
hypoventilation and the consequent hypoxemia.
★ 15.)Menstrual Cycle
A menstrual cycle consists of natural changes that occur in a woman's body every month in
preparation for pregnancy. Menstruation starts at puberty and ends at menopause.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Your hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle. Generally, your heart rate
increases slightly during ovulation and the week afterward (luteal phase). It decreases slightly
during your period and the week afterward (follicular phase).
2. Temperature: Yes, a majority of women may experience changes in menstruation when the
weather is hot and humid. Seasonal change is known to have a connection with your
menstruation. During summer, the periods may become longer or more frequent.
3. Blood pressure: When blood pressure is high, it can damage blood vessels in the body,
including those in the uterus. This damage can affect blood flow to the uterus and ovaries,
leading to irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or even the cessation of periods.
4. Respiration: Respiratory symptoms varied significantly during the menstrual cycle and were
most frequent from the midluteal to mid follicular stages, often with a dip near the time of
ovulation. The patterns varied by BMI, smoking, and asthma status.
★ 16.)Temperature
Temperature refers to the degree of heat or cold in an object or a human body.
How it is affected by:
1. Pulse: Body temperature is an independent determinant of heart rate, causing an increase of
approximately 10 beats per minute per degree centigrade.
2. Temperature: Body temperature rises when the external temperature increases but also
when the internal temperature increases.
3. Blood pressure: Blood pressure generally is higher in the winter and lower in the summer.
That's because low temperatures cause blood vessels to temporarily narrow.
4. Respiration: The increase in respiration helps to cool the body and restore its temperature to
a normal range.
17.)Explain why environmental temperature is important to the client.
Environmental temperature is significant to client care as it impacts the body's internal temperature
balance critical for health. Too high or low temperatures can lead to health complications. Care
providers need to regulate and adjust this to maintain the client's health.
18.)Draw the human body and indicate the different pulse points.
19.)What is meant by the term Vitals?
Vital signs are measurements of the body's most basic functions.
Bibliography
Chatgpt
Wikipedia
google.com
Glossary
Exercise
exercise, the training of the body to improve its function and enhance its fitness.
Hypertension
Hypertension is a condition that affects the body's arteries and increases the risk
of heart attack, stroke and other problems.
Hypothermia
When the temperature starts to drop, the body can start to shiver. Shivering is the
body's attempt to warm itself.
Inflammation
Inflammation is your body’s response to an illness, injury or something that
doesn’t belong in your body (like germsor toxic chemicals).
Injection
Injections deliver liquid medications, fluids, or nutrients directly into a person’s
body.
