What is the purpose of recording vital signs?

Answer 1

Vital signs are VITAL! They give health care professionals a quick, easy way to determine if someone is sick, or how sick they are.

So what are they?

Temperature: Normal human body temperature is about 98.6F - but this can vary from person to person, and will also vary throughout the day, and depends on where the temperature is taken. Rectal temperatures are usually the most accurate.

Heart Rate: Simply, how many times your heart beats per minute. The normal range for an adult HR is typically placed at 60-100 and can be further described as weak/strong, regular/irregular, etc.

Blood pressure: A measure of many things - how much blood or "volume" a person has, how a person's heart is working, and how the rest of the body is responding to those things. Normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80. Of course, this guideline is meant to classify high blood pressure, and LOW blood pressure is also dangerous!

Respiratory rate: How fast a person is breathing in breaths per minute. The normal range is about 12-20 respirations per minute - AT REST.

Some professionals argue that WEIGHT should be included as a vital sign. A weight that is too high or too low for a person's body size can indicate illness. Weight changes are also very important in monitoring health and disease.

Answer 2

vital signs monitor things that health professionals cant actually see. They help assess changes in the body, irregularities, and assist in your healthcare and treatment.

For example, when you go into hospital they chart vital signs on a regular basis. Vital signs include:

respiratory rate, (is it regular? shallow breathing?),

oxygen saturation (are you getting enough oxygen in to your body? if not it may shut down brain function etc.),

pulse (is it irregular, is there a murmor),

blood pressure (is it too high, too low, does it change over time indicating a bleed?),

temperature (too high, too low, does it indicate infection?)

Answer 3

Vital signs are vital because they give us information about the patient's overall health. By monitoring them over time we can see trends and see how well this patient is responding and if their condition is worsening.

Answer 4

It is important to check for high (or low) blood pressure - as hypertension places people at risk of stroke, Heart disease, and end organ damage. Also, a fast (or slow) pulse, or an irregular pulse may indicate an arrythmia which would need to be treated. Fast (or slow) repiratory rate would be of concern for pulmonary, as well as some cardiac, conditions. Elevated temperature, or fever would be indicative of possible infection, requiring further work-up.

Answer 5

The purpose of recording vital signs is to establish a baseline on admission to a hospital, clinic, professional office, or other encounter with a health care provider.