Title: Obtain vital signs.
Course: Patient Care Technician (14051-III) > Section: Demonstrating Medical Procedures and Patient Care and Comfort Measures

Obtaining vital signs should include monitoring and recording

- blood pressure (manually and electronically)
- pulse (manually and electronically)
- apical pulse
- apical-radial deficit
- respirations (manually and electronically)
- pulse oximetry
- temperature (i.e., oral, rectal, tympanic, and temporal)
- pain scale.

Process/Skill Questions:

- When obtaining a blood pressure measurement, how does one know whether the cuff is correctly sized?
- What portion of the cardiac cycle is represented in the systolic blood pressure measurement? What portion of the cardiac cycle is represented in the diastolic blood pressure measurement?
- What are three instances when one would need to immediately notify a patient’s assigned nurse?
- What changes in vital signs indicate a possible transfusion reaction during a blood transfusion?