VS

• Vital Signs - measurements of physiologic functioning.
• Vital signs : Body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure
• 9 areas of pulses:

  • Temporal
  • Carotid
  • Brachial
  • Radial
  • Femoral
  • Popliteal
  • Posterior tibial
  • Pedal
  • Apical
• Body Temperature

  - measure of heat inside a person's body (core temperature)

  - requires balance between heat production and heat loss.
• Normal body temperature range - 36.5-37.5 degrees Celsius
• Pyrexia - AKA hyperthermia or fever. Temperature above normal/usual range.
• Hyperpyrexia - very high fever, 41 degrees Celsius
• Febrile - condition, client has fever
• Afebrile - client without fever
• Hypothermia - body temperature below the lower limit of normal
• Hypothalamus - brain's temperature-regulating center, controls body temperature by balancing heat production and heat loss.
• Body generates heat - burns food as you eat

  Body loses heat - skin in the form of perspiration
• Thermoregulation is controlled by hypothalamus
• Factors affecting heat loss

  1. Radiation
  2. Conduction
  3. Convection
  4. Vaporization
• Factors affecting heat production

  1. Basal metabolic rate
  2. Muscle activity
  3. Thyroxine output
  4. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, sympathetic stimulations
  5. Fever
• Factors affecting body temperature:

  1. Age
  2. Diurnal variation/circadian rhythm
  3. Exercise
  4. Hormonal changes
  5. Amount of stress,
  6. Environment
• Hypothermia = low body temp
• Nursing INtervention for hypothermia:

  1. Monitor vital signs
  2. Provide warm environment
  3. Apply warm blankets
  4. Provide dry clothing
• Fever/Hyperthermia (37.6-38.3) - accompanied by an illness and may mean that the body is fighting nan infection.
• Slightly above normal temperature - useful for getting rid of microorg
• Period of onset - time when temperature is rising
• Plateau - period when body temperature is at its highest peak
• Defervescence or decline - elevated body temperature returns to normal
• Types of fever:

  1. Intermittent type
  2. Remittent type
  3. Relapsing/recurrent
  4. Continuous fever
• Intermittent type - body temperature alternating between a period of fever and a period of normal or subnormal temperature.
• Remittent type - body temperature that fluctuate several degrees more than 2 degrees Celsius above normal but does not reach normal between fluctuations
• Relapsing/Recurrent - temperature that is elevated for several days, return to normal for a date or two but then fever returns again
• Continuous fever - body temperature remains consistently elevated and fluctuates very little less than 2 degrees Celsius.
• Purposes of assessing body temperature

  1. To establish baseline data for future comparisons

  2. To identify whether the body temperature is within normal range

  3. To determine changes and abnormalities in the body temperature in response to specific therapies

  4. To monitor clients at risk for alterations in temperature
• thermometer - used to measure body temperature
• Mercury in glass type of thermometer - no longer used due to its easy breakability and possible exposure to the toxic substance mercury itself.
• Electronic Thermometer - battery powered display unit, a thin wire cord and a temperature-sensitive probe covered by a disposable plastic sheath to prevent transmission of infection. It can provide temperature reading within 45 to 60 seconds.
• Electronic Thermometer

  -Advantages: inserted immediately, results readily appear within seconds, easy to read and the duration of client's discomfort is minimized.

  -Disadvantages: Maybe less accurate because the sensor probe is inserted for a shorter time
• Disposable, Single-use Thermometer - thin strips of plastic with chemical

  thermometer paper with heat sensitive liquid crystals. These can be used for

  axillary or oral temperature, particularly with children. They can be inserted in

  the same way as an oral thermometer or can be applied to the skin. The

  chemical dots on the thermometer changes color to reflect the temperature

  reading. It takes only about 45 seconds to make a temperature reading using

  this type.

   Advantages: Easy to use, reading appear within seconds

   Disadvantages: Less accurate
• Tympanic Membrane Thermometer - a small, handheld device similar to an

  otoscope that has a disposable cover. This uses infrared sensing electronics

  and liquid crystal displays. Most of these types are battery operated and

  rechargeable. The results are displayed 1 to 2 seconds after placing the

  speculum in the outer third of the ear canal.
• Infrared Thermometer


  Non-invasive type of thermometer that uses advanced infrared technology
• Non-contact type of infrared thermometer


  • Also known as laser thermometer
  • Uses thermal radiation and converts it to an electrical signal that is displayed in units of temperature
  • Widely used in every establishment
• Contact type of infrared thermometer


  • Works by scanning the temporal artery
  • Usually seen in the clinical setting, most commonly used among pediatric patients
• Oral Thermometer Placement

   Place the probe beneath the patient's tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket.

   Ask the patient to close his or her lips around the probe.
• Rectal Thermometer Placement

   Place client on Sims position

   Lubricate about 1 inch of the probe with a water-soluble lubricant

   Separate the buttocks until the anal sphincter is clearly visible.

   Insert the thermometer probe into the anus about 1.5 inches in an adult or 1 inch in a child