I'm an EMT student and I'm having trouble doing vitals,(BP, Pulse, Resp. Rate) does any body got tips. Thanks

Answer 1

For taking Blood pressures, get a good stethoscope. I recommend a Littman Classic II. They cost about $75, but you might be able to get a good deal on e-Bay or something. I used a cheap Sprague in nursing school and could never hear the bp clearly. Now, with my littman, it's easy.

There is actually a littman stethoscope that costs around $550 which has a little screen on the backside of the scope and shows you the actual rhythm. I'm too afraid to buy it because I'm sure I would lose it the first day.....LOL.

As for taking respirations, just count the respirations for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4 and that will give you the respiration rate over 1 minute. The key is to not let the person know you are counting the respirations because if they you are watching their breathing, they will alter their rate. I normally hold their pulse and pretend like I'm taking their pulse.

So, what I do is hold their wrist and count their pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 for the pulse rate and then I continue to hold on like I'm taking the pulse and actually count their respirations.

An apical pulse rate is the actual beat count of the heart over one minute. Sometimes it is interesting to compare the apical rate to the radial pulse rate. If their radial rate is substantially lower than their apical rate, it might mean the patient is having a lot of premature ventricular beats (PVC) and aren't actually perfusing the blood to the body with blood with all beats.

Also, NEVER take their pulse using your thumb. Your thumb has a stronger pulse and you might actually be counting your own instead of theirs.....LOL

Good luck to you. I hope I helped.
Robin_in_Tennessee

Answer 2

It's really very simple.

For BP first: You must be aware there are 4 sounds and you have to listen and pick up the first and the third. Before hearing the first sound, there is total silence and the FIRST sound that you hear is the SYSTOLIC pressure. It correlates well with the appearance of pulse once you start releasing the cuff pressure. Then it would be the time for the second sound which is nothing but a slight change (Usually imperceptible) and is immediately followed by a third sound, where you will find a definite change in the sound quality and the pitch, which gets lowered sufficiently and suddenly. The point at which it happens is the Third sound of Korotkoff and is the DIASTOLIC pressure. On releasing the cuff pressure further still, the sounds disappear completely. That point is the FOURTH sound. You have to worry about the First and the Third sound and its easy to differentiate and get used to.

For the pulse: Always use your three contiguous fingers and be easy with the pressure that you place on the pulse of the patient as the pulse can get masked with increased pressure. Sometimes you have to use a single finger for feeling the pulse as for the Carotid or for the Femoral.

Respiratory rate count is the simplest of everything. Place a pen or your wrist watch over the patient’s chest and count how may times it rises in a minute. That would give you the respiratory rate. When the patient is collapsing or has already collapsed, you may have to put your ears as close to the patient’s mouth as possible so as to hear the breath and count.


Best Luck. You will improve with practice and I am sure that you will always keep practicing.

Answer 3

blood pressure- if using a manual one make sure the cuff is on the arm properly, this can alleviate alot of the trouble. Make sure the arrow is lined up on the artery and that the tubing is going down along the forearm. Hold the stethoscope right where the artery would come down the arm (right on the inner elbow). Practice opening and closing the valve so you can get used to it. Make sure it is tightened and then pump the cuff up to about 180. Slowly open the valve. As long as it is quiet you will be able to hear the pulse. Watch on the meter where the needle is when you start to hear the pulse. It will be like a hollow thudding sound

Pulse is taken with two fingers, pointer and middle, on the wrist, right underneath the thumb. The spot varies on people so you just have to move around until you find it. find it on yourself first. you can put a little pressure on the fingers to feel it better but in reality you do not even have to apply pressure to feel the pulse. you can watch a clock for 30 seconds and time the number by two or 15 seconds and times it by 4. your book may train you to take it for a full minute but on the job that will be hard

respiration rate is easiet to do when a person is laying down or not talking. placing your hand on their stomach or chest will help you feel it. you will also have to visually watch for the chest moving up and down. also, when you tell people you will do their respiration, they suddenly start controlling their breathing and you will get a different number than what it should be naturally. tell them you are taking their pulse and watch their chest breathe in and out while you do it

Answer 4

Vitals are very important so it's VITAL that you get them right.
Check the pulse at the radial artery, on the thumb side of the wrist. If you can't find it on your patient, listen to the apical pulse...located at the chest (with a stethoscope of course). Feel/listen for an entire minute at first to get good at it.

Respirations can be done by 1. listening for the patient's breathing (noting rate and "pattern", depth, and ease of respirations) 2. Observing chest rise and fall. 3. Putting your hands on the patient's chest if necessary to "feel" for respirations. This is also good for children or babies, since many are "belly breathers"...hence you may not see the chest rise and fall. Again, listen for an entire minute to get a full assessment

Temperature for an EMT is warm, cool, cold, clammy...feel the patient's forehead with the back of your hand and note the above. ARe they sweaty (clammy)? Write down what you find.
Always make a note of skin color too...is the patient pale?? Cyanotic (blue)??

Blood pressure requires practice. Inflate the cuff and put the stethoscope over the brachial artery at the elbow. Release the cuff pressure slowly and listen for the pulse to begin beating in your ears. This is the systolic pressure, remember it. When the sound disappears make a note of it, too..this is your diastolic pressure. It is reported as "one twelve over sixty four" or written as 112/64.

Answer 5

Well, for a serious answer, just look to see if everyone is wearing hairnets/hats/etc, gloves (if involved in food preparation), and closed-toe shoes. Those are all required by health codes, so if someone's not wearing one or more of those items, it's an indication that management doesn't take the health code seriously.

Answer 6

Pick a different field to work in?

Answer 7

Can you narrow down your difficulty?

Answer 8

practice practice practice