1. Temperature
2. Pulse
3. Respiratory rate
4. Blood pressure

Temperature

• Types:
  • Axillary: worst
  • Oral
  • Aural
  • Rectal: best
• Timing:
  • Continued
  • Intermittent
  • Remittent
  • Relapsing
• Nomenlature:.
  • Hyperpyrexia: >41.6°C
  • Hypothermia: <35°C

Pulse

• Shake hands: Dr's L to pt's L.
• During handshake grip Dr's R hand takes pulse.
• Measure for 15 seconds, then multiple by 4 to get rate/min.
• Assess rhythm, character, delays.
• See Pulse Reference.

Respiratory rate

• Don't announce measuring it, since under pt's control.
• Adult normal: 14-20/min.

Blood pressure

• Pt's anticubital fossa level with heart, arm slightly bent.
• Proper-sized cuff over brachial a. 2cm above anticubital fold.
• Inflate cuff until pulse disappears to tell systolic
  • If HTN, then need to palpate radial as inflate.
• Stethoscope over brachial a., inflate cuff 30mmHg more.
• Release pressure, when hear pulse, tells diastolic.