Ventura College EMT

Pulse

Descriptors: regular, irregular, strong or weak

Adult

60 to 100 beats per minute

Children - age 1 to 8 years

80 to 100

Infants - age 1 to 12 months

100 to 120

Neonates - age 1 to 28 days

120 to 160

Blood pressure

Systolic

Diastolic

Adult

90 to 140 mmHg

60 to 90 mmHg

Children - age 1 to 8 years

80 to 110 mmHg

Infants - age 1 to 12 months

70 to 95 mmHg

Neonates - age 1 to 28 days

>60 mmHg

Respirations

Descriptors: normal, shallow, labored, noisy, Kussmaul

Adult (normal)

12 to 20 breaths per minute

Children - age 1 to 8 years

15 to 30

Infants - age 1 to 12 months

25 to 50

Neonates - age 1 to 28 days

40 to 60

Adult vital signs

Pulse

60 to 100 beats per minute

Blood pressure

90 to 140 mmHg (systolic)
60 to 90 mmHg (diastolic)

Respirations

12 to 20 breaths per minute

Child vital signs (age 1 to 8 years)

Pulse

80 to 100 beats per minute

Blood pressure

80 to 110 mmHg systolic

Respirations

15 to 30 breaths per minute

Infant vital signs (age 1 to 12 months)

Pulse

100 to 140 beats per minute

Blood pressure

70 to 95 mmHg systolic

Respirations

25 to 50 breaths per minute

Neonatal vital signs (full-term, <28 days)

Pulse

120 to 160 beats per minute

Blood pressure

>60 mmHg systolic

Respirations

40 to 60 breaths per minute

Lung sounds

Crackles or rales

crackling or rattling sounds

Wheezing

high-pitched whistling expirations

Stridor

harsh, high-pitched inspirations

Rhonchi

coarse, gravelly sounds

Pulse oximetry

Range

Value

Treatment

Normal

95 to 100%

None or placebic

Mild hypoxia

91 to 94%

Give oxygen

Moderate hypoxia

86 to 90%

Give 100% oxygen

Severe hypoxia

<85%

Give 100% oxygen w/ positive pressure

Glasgow Coma Scale

ADULT

INFANT

Eye opening

E

Eye opening

Spontaneous

4

Spontaneous

To speech

3

To speech

To pain

2

To pain

No response

1

No response

Best motor response

M

Best motor response

Obeys verbal command

6

Normal movements

Localizes pain

5

Localizes pain

Flexion - withdraws from pain

4

Withdraws from pain

Flexion - abnormal

3

Flexion - abnormal

Extension

2

Extension

No response

1

No response

Best verbal response

V

Best verbal response

Oriented and converses

5

Coos, babbles

Disoriented and converses

4

Cries but consolable

Inappropriate words

3

Persistently irritable

Incomprehensible sounds

2

Grunts to pain/restless

No response

1

No response

E + M + V = 3 to 15

• 90% less than or equal to 8 are in coma
• Greater than or equal to 9 not in coma
• 8 is the critical score
• Less than or equal to 8 at 6 hours - 50% die
• 9-11 = moderate severity
• Greater than or equal to 12 = minor injury

Coma is defined as not opening eyes, not obeying commands, and not uttering understandable words.

Additional references: Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Guide and House of DeFrance.

Pain scale

The 0-10 pain scale is becoming known as the "fifth vital sign" in hospital and pre-hospital care. Adults can usually quantify their pain on a numeric scale, however children may need help in articulating their pain.