Time of Day for Routine Vital Signs

Our Med/Surg units all follow this schedule:
Routine 8a and 8p
BID would be the same as above
QID would be 8a 12N 78 12M
Q4hr 8a-12n-4p-8p-12m-4a

our post-ops are q2hr x6 then they go to q4hr x24h at least
our tele pts are always q4h

Hello,
Every unit will have its own times for routine vitals. On my unit routine is 0800, 1600, 2400 unless the pt is post-op and then we do Q 4 hour vitals for 24 hours. On the tele unit they do Q 4 vitals on everyone.
On our long term care unit they do vitals before breakfast and before dinner.
Most nurses like to get vitals at the start of shift during assessment so it would vary according to when your shift starts.
Hope that helps

The routine vs for our med/surg are at the beginning of each shift. So generally 8-16-23. All new surgicals get q 4s after the initial post op vitals have been resolved, then after 24 hours if there isnt any increase in temp they go to routine (unless otherwise ordered by Dr).

on our 12 hour 8-8 (both night and day shift) we do 10am/pm and 6am/pm if abnormal at 10am/pm we recheck at 2pm/am

VSR 10 and 14 since 0600 hrs. nightshift just did them
Post op q15 min x 1 hr. q1/2 x 1 hr. then q4h. if stable x 24 hrs.

"Routine" is Q4H . . . so I come on at 0245 and first vitals are at 0400. Unless the physician has written that the patients can sleep through midnight and 0400 vitals.

steph

There are no such things as "routine" vital signs. "Routine" is unit specific and may be regionally specific as well. As a general rule "routine" means every shift. This could be every 8 hours or every 12 hours. However, if the unit acuity is relatively high, "routine" may be more often; such as every four hours. Post operative patients may have a "routine" such as every 15 minutes x 4, every 30 minutes x 2, 1 at the next 60 minute mark, and then every 4 hours x 4, then every shift. There should be a policy and procedure on your unit or in your facility addressing this issue. If there is not, this is the perfect opportunity for you to be a part of performance and quality improvement.

Our vitals are usually obtained
Q4
RT (1 time per shift)
Q8
Q6
or sometimes we may have a patient come form ER that is Q2 x6 or Q2 x4 (usually depends on the admitting dr.).

I also work some in CCU and there we obtain vitals Q2.