NR 302 Week 4 Edapt

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-302: Health Assessment I

Prof. Name

Date

Week 4 Edapt – NR 302 Vital Signs

Pulse Rate

Pulse rate is a critical vital sign that varies depending on a person’s age, gender, and physical condition. In infants and young children, pulse rates tend to be faster, gradually slowing as individuals grow older. Following puberty, females often exhibit slightly higher pulse rates than males. When a patient presents with an unusually high or low pulse, healthcare providers should first confirm the measurement by assessing the apical pulse for a full minute. Only after a thorough assessment and verification should any concerns be reported. Accessing prior heart rate and rhythm data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR) can provide valuable context, often eliminating the need to gather additional information from the patient’s family.

Blood Pressure Physiology

Understanding blood pressure (BP) requires knowledge of both systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure measures the force of blood as the heart contracts, while diastolic pressure, the “bottom number,” reflects arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation. The difference between these two measurements, known as pulse pressure, offers important insights into cardiovascular health and arterial elasticity. An auscultatory gap—an interval during which Korotkoff sounds disappear—may indicate reduced peripheral blood flow and should be noted during measurement to avoid misinterpretation.

Vital Signs and Abnormal Findings

Vital signs serve as fundamental indicators of overall health. Abnormal findings can signal the presence of underlying health conditions. For instance, a body temperature below 95.1 °F (35.1 °C) indicates hypothermia, whereas a heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute in adults is classified as tachycardia. Normal adult respiratory rates range between 12 and 20 breaths per minute, and deviations may suggest respiratory or systemic issues. Blood pressure readings above 140/90 mm Hg are considered hypertensive. Monitoring vital signs is especially important during key events such as hospital admission, postoperatively, or before administering medications that affect cardiac, respiratory, or hemodynamic function.

Vital Signs Table

References

American Nurses Association. (2020). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.

NR 302 Week 4 Edapt

Hinkle, J. L., & Cheever, K. H. (2018). Brunner & Suddarth’s textbook of medical-surgical nursing (14th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health.