How Do You Measure And Record Vital Signs During First Aid?
Frequent measurement of an injured person’s vital signs will help the rescuer assess the injury. Vital signs are an important indicator of how the person is responding to treatment. Check and record these early in your treatment, and recheck them often. Assess the injured person’s level of consciousness. Shine a flashlight or headlamp into the injured person’s eyes. Note whether the pupils contract symmetrically when exposed to the light. Note whether the pupils are equal in size. Assess the injured person’s pulse for rate, rhythm and strength. (See “How to Measure and Record a Pulse During First Aid.”) Look at the injured person’s fingernail beds or the inner skin of the eyelids and note the color. Are they pink, red, yellow or blue? Feel the injured person’s forehead, hands and stomach, and note the temperature and moisture. Assess the injured person’s respiration for rate, rhythm and strength. (See “How to Measure and Record Respiratory Rate.”) Press the injured person’s fingernail
