[HELP] Easy or good ways to remember general PEDIATRIC vital sign parameters?

i just finished my peds rotation too. the whole vs thing has me going to. during clinicals i had a 10 month old with a bp that i thought was wnl for that age. i was way wrong. i got reemed for not reporting a bp that was in the lower range. (she was ok)

as for remembering i think its just a matter of repitition. are you planning on a career in peds? or are you thinking ahead of the nclex and what you might need to know? your pda can be your best friend:wink2:

make up a card with all the parameters on it, and hand it on your id badge, so all you need to do is flip it over and look.

^^^Yup, I carry a little booklet with me at work now that I'm in peds. Whenever something looks out of whack (after a while, you may not remember the exact numbers, but you'll get a feel for what's ok and what's not), I just flip to the right page.

Thanks for all the replies.

mom2bears: I'm thinking more along the lines of working in the ED so that's why I need to brush up my Pedi VS skills.

Rote memoriozation worked for me. Also, most large ers have posters with pediatric vitals, tube sizes, and the liek posted in their trauma bays.

Just remember...if it SEEMS too low, or too high, it probably is and it warrants letting someone know.

I routinely see infants with pressures of 60/20 and this is normal for them but I notify EVERY TIME just in case we have to reassess and vary the treatment plan.

More experience and great memorization/assessment skills will go a long way in your feeling more comfortable with little ones.

Good luck to you.

vamedic4

Time and a half tonight!!!!! Hooo ahhh!!

I also have a parameters sheet that I re-sized and added it to the back of my name badge for those times when I'm just not sure. After a while, you just know. Always remember to assess the patient first and then the numbers and you can always re-check when you feel it may be needed.