What is the primary purpose of taking vital signs?

• A. To measure body temperature
• B. To assess the patient’s overall health
• C. To determine blood type
• D. To check for injuries

Answer: (B)

The primary purpose of taking vital signs is to assess the patient’s overall health. Vital signs, which typically include heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and temperature, provide critical information about the body's physiological state and help healthcare providers monitor a patient’s condition. They can indicate whether a patient is stable or requires immediate medical attention. By evaluating these measurements, healthcare professionals can identify signs of distress, infection, or other serious health issues.

While measuring body temperature can be a component of vital signs, it is not the sole purpose. Determining blood type is unrelated to vital signs as it does not provide information about current health status but rather is used in specific situations like transfusions. Checking for injuries is also important, but it falls outside the primary purpose of monitoring vital signs, which focuses more on ongoing physiological functioning rather than assessing physical trauma.