Nursing Assistant Certification Course

Week 11: Vital Signs I

Duration: 3 hours

I. Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration (1 hour)
   A. Temperature Measurement
      1. Importance of monitoring body temperature
         Example: Monitoring body temperature helps detect fever, hypothermia, or other temperature-related health issues that may require intervention.
      2. Techniques for measuring temperature: Oral, axillary, tympanic, and temporal
         Example: To measure an oral temperature, nursing assistants should place the thermometer probe under the patient's tongue and have them close their mouth around it, waiting for the device to indicate completion before recording the result.
   B. Pulse and Respiration Measurement
      1. Locating and assessing the pulse
         Example: To assess the radial pulse, nursing assistants should locate the radial artery on the patient's wrist and count the number of beats for one full minute or 30 seconds and multiply by two.
      2. Assessing respiratory rate and pattern
         Example: To measure the respiratory rate, nursing assistants should observe the patient's chest rise and fall, counting the number of breaths per minute without making the patient aware to avoid altering their breathing pattern.

II. Blood Pressure Measurement (1 hour)
   A. Understanding Blood Pressure
      1. Systolic and diastolic pressure
         Example: Systolic pressure is the force exerted on the blood vessels when the heart is contracting, while diastolic pressure is the force exerted when the heart is at rest between contractions.
      2. Factors affecting blood pressure
         Example: Age, stress, medications, and lifestyle factors can influence blood pressure levels.
   B. Techniques for Measuring Blood Pressure
      1. Manual blood pressure measurement with a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope
         Example: To measure blood pressure manually, nursing assistants should inflate the cuff around the patient's arm, place the stethoscope over the brachial artery, and slowly deflate the cuff while listening for the first and last audible sounds (Korotkoff sounds) to determine systolic and diastolic pressures.
      2. Proper cuff selection and positioning
         Example: The blood pressure cuff should be the appropriate size for the patient's arm, with the bladder encircling at least 80% of the arm circumference to ensure accurate readings.

III. Pain Assessment (1 hour)
   A. Importance of Pain Assessment in Healthcare
      1. Pain as a vital sign
         Example: Pain is considered the fifth vital sign because it is an essential factor in determining a patient's overall health and well-being.
      2. Impact of unmanaged pain on patient outcomes
         Example: Unmanaged pain can lead to increased stress, delayed healing, and decreased quality of life for patients.
   B. Techniques for Assessing Pain
      1. Subjective and objective pain assessment
         Example: Nursing assistants should ask patients about their pain levels using a numeric scale (0-10), visual analog scale, or other standardized tools and observe for nonverbal cues of pain, such as facial expressions or body language.
      2. Recognizing and documenting changes in pain levels
         Example: Nursing assistants should document patients' pain levels, the effectiveness of interventions, and any changes in pain characteristics or intensity to inform the healthcare team and guide patient care.

Upon completing Week 11, students will have developed crucial nursing skills related to vital sign assessment. Understanding how to accurately measure and document vital signs is essential for monitoring patients' health status and ensuring timely interventions for any changes or abnormalities detected.