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| Vital signs are often taken by health professionals in order to assess the most basic body functions. |
Vital signs are often taken by health professionals in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a ]. | ||
| ==Primary Four== | |||
| There are four vital signs which are standard in most medical settings: | |||
| # ] for ] ] | # ] for ] ] | ||
| # ] rate (or ]) | # ] rate (or ]) | ||
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| Though a pulse can often be taken by hand, a ] may be required for a patient with a very weak pulse. | Though a pulse can often be taken by hand, a ] may be required for a patient with a very weak pulse. | ||
| ==Additional signs== | |||
| Recently there has been a push to include pain, as percieved by the patient on a scale of 1-10, as "the 5th vital sign." | |||
| ===Fifth sign=== | |||
| The phrase "fifth vital sign" usually refers to ], as as percieved by the patient on a ] of 1-10. For example, the ] made this their policy in 1999. However, have noted that pain is actually a subjective ], not an objective ], and therefore object to this classification. | |||
| include ] as their fifth sign. | |||
| ===Sixth sign=== | |||
| Vitals signs are an essential part of a ]. | |||
| There is no standard "sixth vital sign", and the use is much more informal and discipline-dependent than with the above, but some proposals (excluding the fifth sign candidates above) include: | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 16:54, 24 October 2005
Vital signs are often taken by health professionals in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a case presentation.
Primary Four
There are four vital signs which are standard in most medical settings:
- temperature examination for normal temperature
- pulse rate (or heart rate)
- blood pressure
- respiratory rate
The equipment needed is a thermometer, a blood pressure (BP) cuff with a stethescope (or an automatic BP machine), and a watch.
Though a pulse can often be taken by hand, a stethoscope may be required for a patient with a very weak pulse.
Additional signs
Fifth sign
The phrase "fifth vital sign" usually refers to pain, as as percieved by the patient on a Pain scale of 1-10. For example, the Veterans Administration made this their policy in 1999. However, some doctors have noted that pain is actually a subjective symptom, not an objective sign, and therefore object to this classification.
Other sources include pulse oximetry as their fifth sign.
Sixth sign
There is no standard "sixth vital sign", and the use is much more informal and discipline-dependent than with the above, but some proposals (excluding the fifth sign candidates above) include: