[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Clinical exam](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/) › [General exam and vital signs](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/#a-general) › Vital signs: what they are and how to record them [Clinical exam](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/) · [General exam and vital signs](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/#a-general) # Vital signs: what they are and how to record them - Topic Temperature, pulse, breathing and blood pressure: four numbers that show how the body is working right now. Updated 2026-11-01 **See it in 3D:** [Radial artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/radial-artery/) · [Brachial artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/brachial-artery/) ## Key points - Resting adult (MedlinePlus): pulse 60 to 100 beats per minute; breathing 12 to 18 per minute (OpenStax gives 12 to 20); blood pressure 90/60 to 120/80 mmHg; temperature 36.5 to 37.3 °C. - Read every value against the patient's age and previous readings; the trend matters more than one reading. - For an abnormal reading, repeat it (another thermometer, another route, the other arm) and assess the patient before concluding. - Record the value, unit, route or site, time and, for an abnormal value, what was done and who was told. - Blood pressure is usually taken last, because the cuff is the most uncomfortable part. ## What it is Vital signs are the basic measurements of body function: temperature, heart rate (pulse), respiratory rate and blood pressure. Oxygen saturation and pain are often added. Their value lies in the trend: a single reading says little, a series shows whether the patient is improving or worsening. They are taken on admission, with every change in condition and as often as the unit's protocol requires. ## Key facts - Temperature: 36.5 to 37.3 °C (average 37 °C); fever from 38 °C. - Heart rate: 60 to 100 beats per minute. - Respiratory rate: 12 to 20 breaths per minute. - Blood pressure: about 90/60 to 120/80 mmHg. - Oxygen saturation: 95 to 100% on room air. - Pain: recorded with a validated scale (0 to 10 in adults). ## Step by step - Review previous readings, history and orders on frequency and call-out parameters. - Gather equipment: thermometer, watch with a second hand, stethoscope, oximeter and a sphygmomanometer with the right cuff. - Identify the patient, explain, clean your hands and let the patient rest for a few minutes. - Take the temperature and note the route (oral, axillary, tympanic, rectal). - Count the pulse and then, fingers still on the wrist and without saying so, count breaths by watching the chest. - Measure oxygen saturation and ask about pain with a scale. - Take blood pressure last and record everything with the time, site and method. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## Why are breaths counted without telling the patient? Because a patient who knows they are being watched unintentionally changes the rate and depth of breathing. ## What is done with an abnormal blood pressure reading before reporting it? Repeat it with correct technique, ideally also in the other arm, and assess the patient for symptoms. ## What is the normal resting heart rate in an adult? Between 60 and 100 beats per minute; trained athletes may have 40 to 60 without disease. ## What details should accompany a recorded temperature? The value with its unit, the route used (oral, axillary, tympanic or rectal) and the time of measurement. [Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/clinical-exam/vital-signs-what-they-are-and-how-to-record-them/) ## See it in 3D The structures of Durgical's 3D anatomy where it is found. - [Radial artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/radial-artery/) - [Brachial artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/brachial-artery/) ## Related - [Body temperature and fever patterns](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/body-temperature-and-fever-patterns/) - [Arterial pulse: rate, rhythm and amplitude](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/arterial-pulse-rate-rhythm-and-amplitude/) - [Respiratory rate and breathing patterns](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/respiratory-rate-and-breathing-patterns/) - [Blood pressure measurement](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/blood-pressure-measurement/) - [Pulse oximetry](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/pulse-oximetry/) - [Pain assessment and pain scales](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/pain-assessment-and-pain-scales/) - [Early warning scores: NEWS2 and qSOFA](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/early-warning-scores-news2-and-qsofa/) - [Vital signs in children: how they change with age](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/vital-signs-in-children-how-they-change-with-age/) ## Related conditions - [Sepsis and septic shock](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/sepsis-and-septic-shock/) [← All of the clinical exam](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/) Educational content on the clinical exam; it is learned and practised under supervision. It does not replace assessment by a health professional and is not for self-diagnosis. Sources: [Vital signs: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002341.htm) (U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), 2025); [7.1 Indicators of Physiologic Functioning - Fundamentals of Nursing | OpenStax](https://openstax.org/books/fundamentals-nursing/pages/7-1-indicators-of-physiologic-functioning) (OpenStax, Rice University, 2024); [15.3 Vital Signs - Clinical Nursing Skills | OpenStax](https://openstax.org/books/clinical-nursing-skills/pages/15-3-vital-signs) (OpenStax, Rice University, 2024). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/vital-signs-what-they-are-and-how-to-record-them/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/vital-signs-what-they-are-and-how-to-record-them/