Vital Sign Sheets

There are several different times when using a vital signs sheet is appropriate. While this depends on the specific needs of your patients, vital signs sheets are particularly useful when a patient needs urgent attention. The patient may be in an intensive care ward or recovering post-surgery, and the doctor and/or nurse on duty would take their vital signs every hour for 24 hours.

Unlike other worksheet templates and documents, the vital signs sheet is mostly designed to be used by practitioners. Patients aren't often qualified to track vital signs, and given how important accurate data is, these sheets are best left to the healthcare professionals. In saying that, there are some situations where a patient isn't being treated at an inpatient facility and knows how to measure their own vital signs.

There is no one strict way to complete the vital signs sheet. Most patients will require all of their vital signs to be taken, but the order in which you measure them is up to you and your professional opinion. Depending on how the patient presents, you may choose to measure a specific vital sign first and then continue in priority order.