How to take a full set of vital signs
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Vital signs are the base of every assessment and the first thing to change when a patient gets worse. Take them the same way each time so the numbers can be compared.
What you need
- Thermometer
- Watch with a second hand
- Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope
- Pulse oximeter
Step by step
Prepare
Clean your hands, introduce yourself, confirm the patient and explain. Let them rest a few minutes. [1]
Temperature
Choose the route (oral, tympanic, temporal, axillary) and record it with the value. [1]
Pulse
Radial pulse with two fingers. Count 30 seconds and double if regular, a full minute if irregular. Note rhythm and strength. [2]
Breathing rate
Keep your fingers on the wrist and count breaths without telling the patient, for 30 seconds (or 60 if irregular). Note depth and effort. [2]
Blood pressure
Right cuff size, arm at heart level, patient quiet. See the blood pressure guide for every step. [3]
Oxygen saturation
Probe on a warm finger, wait for a steady signal, and record the value with the oxygen the patient is on. [2]
Pain
Ask for a score from 0 to 10 and where it hurts. [1]
Record and report
Write all values with the time, compare with the last set and report abnormal values. [1]
Common errors
- Telling the patient you are counting breaths (they change).
- Counting an irregular pulse for only 30 seconds.
- Not writing the oxygen flow next to the saturation.
Usual adult ranges at rest [2]
| Vital sign | Usual range | |
|---|---|---|
| Pulse | 60 to 100 per minute | |
| Breathing rate | 12 to 20 per minute | |
| Blood pressure | under 120 / under 80 mmHg | |
| Oxygen saturation | 95 to 100% | |
| Temperature | about 36.1 to 37.2 °C (97 to 99 °F) |
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (CC BY 4.0)
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- AHA Scientific Statement, Measurement of Blood Pressure in Humans (Hypertension, 2019)
- NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)
Steps adapted from OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills and Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.