Definition
Vital signs are measurements such as temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and pain score that help describe patient status.
Why it matters for NCLEX
NCLEX questions rarely use vital signs as random numbers. They are cues. A trend or combination of abnormal vital signs can show respiratory distress, shock, infection, bleeding or medication reaction.
Clinical example
Heart rate 128, respiratory rate 28, blood pressure 86/48 and oxygen saturation 88% after a new medication are high-priority deterioration cues.
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