Jordan Ellis
Hospital vital signs monitors are used to keep track of a patient's health and monitor their vitals during their stay. They are used to measure a patient's blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, and oxygen levels. Most hospital monitors work in the same way, with small sensors attached to the body that carry information to the monitor. The most basic monitors show heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. More advanced models also show how much oxygen the blood is carrying or how fast the patient is breathing. If any of the vital signs fall outside the range of normal, the monitor will alert clinicians by sounding an alarm and flashing an alert on the screen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To monitor a patient's health and keep track of their vitals during their hospital stay. |
| Measured Vitals | Heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, and oxygen levels. |
| Display | The common layout is split, with numerical vital signs on the right and waveforms on the left. |
| Heart Rate | Typically displayed at the top of the monitor in green, identified by "HR" or "PR" (pulse rate) and shown in beats per minute (BPM). A healthy heart rate is between 60 and 100 BPM. |
| Blood Pressure | Displayed under "SYST" or "SYS" for systolic and "DIAS" or "DIA" for diastolic. Systolic pressure should be between 90 and 130, and diastolic between 60 and 80. |
| Oxygen Saturation | Located under "SpO2", measures the amount of oxygen in the patient's blood. Levels should be above 92% in adults. |
| Respiratory Rate | Measures breaths per minute, usually between 12 and 20. |
| Alerts | If vital signs fall outside the normal range, the monitor will sound an alarm and flash an alert. |
| Sensors | Small sensors attached to the body transmit information to the monitor. These can be patches stuck to the skin or clipped to a finger. |
| Portability | Lightweight, with a backup battery, and easily mountable on walls or carts. |
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What You'll Learn
- Understanding the layout: numerical vital signs are usually on the right, waveforms on the left
- Heart rate: identified by HR or PR, with a healthy range of 60-100 beats per minute
- Blood pressure: systolic and diastolic numbers, with a healthy systolic range of 90-130
- Oxygen saturation: a measure of oxygen in the blood, with healthy levels above 92%
- Respiratory rate: measures breaths per minute, usually between 12 and 20
Understanding the layout: numerical vital signs are usually on the right, waveforms on the left
When you visit a loved one in the hospital, you may find yourself drawn to the monitor at their bedside, wondering what all the wavy lines, numbers, and abbreviations mean. The common layout of a patient monitor is split, with the numerical vital signs on the right and the waveforms on the left of the monitor screen.
The numerical vital signs on the right include the patient's heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. The heart rate, also known as HR, is typically displayed using green numbers and is usually in the top right corner of the monitor. The number is shown in beats per minute, or BPM, and is usually accompanied by RR or ECG. A normal resting pulse rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Blood pressure is expressed as a ratio of systolic blood pressure to diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure tells you the amount of force exerted on the patient's arteries when their heart is beating, and it should be between 90 and 120 mm Hg. Diastolic blood pressure, on the other hand, measures the force when the heart is at rest and should be between 60 and 80. Normal body temperature for a healthy adult is usually considered to be 98.6°F, but it can vary slightly without concern.
The waveforms on the left include the electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the electrical activity of the heart. This is usually the top wavy line on the hospital monitor. Each spike or peak corresponds to a heartbeat. If the patient has a regular heartbeat, these spikes will occur at regular intervals. Another waveform is the "RESP" waveform, which is useful for monitoring respiratory issues such as apnea or dyspnea.
It's important to remember that a single number outside the normal range is usually not a cause for concern. Doctors and nurses will consider all the vital signs together and in context. Additionally, alarms on the monitor may sound due to a loose or malfunctioning sensor rather than a clinical problem.
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Heart rate: identified by HR or PR, with a healthy range of 60-100 beats per minute
If you're visiting a loved one in the hospital, you may find yourself paying close attention to their vital signs monitor, wondering what the numbers, beeps, wavy lines, and abbreviations mean. While there are many different types of monitors, most work in the same way. Small sensors attached to the patient's body carry information to the monitor. Some sensors are patches that stick to the skin, while others may be clipped onto a finger.
Heart rate, identified by HR or PR, with a healthy range of 60-100 beats per minute, is typically displayed using green numbers. The heart rate is usually in the right corner of the screen, with the number shown in beats per minute, or BPM. If the heart rate falls below safe levels, the monitor will make certain sounds and possibly flash colours to alert caregivers.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the electrical activity of the heart and is usually the top wavy line on the monitor. Each spike or peak corresponds to a heartbeat. If the patient has a regular heartbeat, these spikes will occur the same number of little blocks apart from each other.
Pulse rate and heart rate are two different ways to track heart activity. Your heart rate is how many times your heart beats per minute, while your pulse rate is how many times per minute your arteries expand because of your heart beating. There's usually no difference between the two, but certain health conditions or medications can make the pulse in the arms harder to detect, which can interfere with the way heart rate monitors work.
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Blood pressure: systolic and diastolic numbers, with a healthy systolic range of 90-130
Blood pressure is the amount of force your blood uses to get through your arteries. When you check your blood pressure, you get two numbers: systolic and diastolic. These two numbers show how hard your heart works to pump blood throughout your body and how much pressure it puts on your blood vessels. If one or both numbers are too high, it's called hypertension, which can damage your organs over time and lead to serious health problems such as heart attack or stroke.
Systolic blood pressure is the first or top number. It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls when your heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure is the second or bottom number. It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls while the heart muscle rests between beats. A higher systolic or diastolic reading may be used to diagnose high blood pressure. However, the systolic blood pressure tells more about risk factors for heart disease for people over 50.
A systolic pressure greater than 180 and a diastolic pressure greater than 90 is considered a hypertensive crisis, and you should consult your healthcare provider immediately. A systolic pressure of 130-139 or a diastolic pressure of 80-89 is considered high blood pressure stage 1. A systolic pressure greater than 140 and a diastolic pressure greater than 90 is considered high blood pressure stage 2.
A healthy blood pressure for an adult, relaxed at rest, is less than 120/80 mm Hg. This means your systolic (top) number is below 120 and your diastolic (bottom) number is below 80. However, blood pressure that's too low may be a cause for concern. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is a reading of 90/60 mm Hg or lower.
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Oxygen saturation: a measure of oxygen in the blood, with healthy levels above 92%
Oxygen saturation refers to the percentage of oxygen in a person's blood. It is a vital sign that can be monitored using a pulse oximeter, a small clip that is usually placed on a person's finger, toe, or ear. This device emits a special type of light called infrared light, which passes through the skin and into the blood in the capillaries to measure oxygen saturation levels. The procedure is harmless and the patient does not feel anything.
Oxygen saturation levels are important because low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia) can lead to serious health issues and damage to vital organs, especially the brain and heart. Healthy oxygen saturation levels typically range from 95% to 100%. However, a level of 92% is considered the threshold below which further medical attention may be required. If a person's oxygen saturation level falls to 88% or lower, it is considered a medical emergency, and they should seek immediate medical assistance.
When visiting a loved one in the hospital, you may notice their oxygen saturation levels displayed on a monitor, usually on the right-hand side. These levels are important indicators of the patient's respiratory and circulatory health. While it is natural to focus on these numbers, it is important to remember that doctors and nurses consider all vital signs together and take the context into account. A single number that is outside the normal range is usually not a cause for immediate concern.
If you are concerned about a loved one's oxygen saturation levels or other vital signs, don't hesitate to ask a doctor or nurse for more information. They can provide context and explain the overall condition of the patient. Additionally, if a monitor starts beeping or making unusual sounds, it is an indication that a nurse or caregiver should be called to evaluate the patient's condition.
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Respiratory rate: measures breaths per minute, usually between 12 and 20
Respiratory rate, or respiration rate, is the number of breaths a person takes per minute. It is usually measured when a person is at rest and simply involves counting the number of breaths for one minute by observing how many times the chest rises. Respiration rates may increase with fever, illness, and other medical conditions. When checking respiration, it is important to also note whether a person is having any difficulty breathing, such as gasping for breath or breathing very shallowly. If this is the case, a nurse should be called to evaluate the patient's condition.
Normal respiration rates for an adult person at rest range from 12 to 16 breaths per minute, though some sources state that rates up to 20 breaths per minute are still within the normal range. This rate is usually displayed on a hospital monitor in breaths per minute, or BPM.
Electronic vital sign monitors have been used in hospitals for over 40 years, and most generally work in the same way. Small sensors attached to the patient's body carry information to the monitor. Some sensors are patches that stick to the skin, while others may be clipped onto a finger. More advanced models can show how fast a patient is breathing, as well as how much oxygen their blood is carrying.
If a patient's respiration rate falls outside the healthy range, the monitor will typically sound a warning, often in the form of a beeping noise and a flashing colour. This is designed to alert caregivers so that they can check on the patient. However, it is important to remember that a single number outside the normal range is usually not cause for concern, and doctors and nurses will consider all the vital signs together when evaluating a patient's condition.
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Frequently asked questions
Almost all patient monitors will record heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and body temperature.
If the monitor starts beeping, it is likely that one of the vital signs has risen or fallen outside healthy levels. Check that all wires and probes are properly attached and secured. If they are, call a nurse to come and evaluate the patient's condition.
Express the patient's blood pressure as a ratio with the systolic blood pressure over the diastolic blood pressure. For example, if the monitor shows systolic blood pressure of 110 and diastolic blood pressure of 75, you would say the patient's blood pressure is "110 over 75".
