For this essay I will be explaining vital signs. Vital signs are a very important factor in assessing the patient. They are used to describe basic body functions. Vital signs also vary depending on the age of the patient. It is important to take vital signs more than once while dealing with a patient. This is to notice changes in the body and to tell whether they are getting better or worse. If you do not get this information you may be unaware of an important condition and information that would require you to provide a certain treatment that the patient needs.
The first vital sign I will be explaining is Pulse. The pulse is the number of beats per minute. This number allows you to decide whether the patients pulse rate is normal, rapid, or slow. The rate of the patient may vary depending on age, gender, physical condition, food consumed preceding the pulse being taken, and medications being taken. The normal rate for adults resting is 60 to 100 beats per minute. If the rate is above 100, it is rapid. This is also known as tachycardia. When the patient’s rate is below 60, it is too slow. If this occurs, it’s known as bradycardia. In an emergency, the pulse rate will most likely be higher than normal. The two factors that determine the quality of the pulse are rhythm and force. The rhythm shows regularity and the force shows the pressure of the pulse as it expands the arteries. There are a number of ways to take a patients pulse. The three most common ways are radial, brachial, and carotid. The radial pulse is found on the wrist and is used on patients 1 year of age and older. In an infant you would find the brachial pulse which is found on the upper arm. The last option is the carotid pulse which is found on either side of the neck.
The next vital sign is respiration. This is measuring the patients breathing. It is important to tell whether or not the patient is breathing adequately because this is the first problem you need to fix