Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Standardized Model of Ventricular Fibrillation and Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Swine
Published on: January 30, 2020
Vital signs during and following ambulance transfer
Stevan R Bruijns1, Henry R Guly, Lee A Wallis
1aDivision of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa bDepartment of Emergency, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to compare vital signs of minimally injured and moderately injured patients during ambulance transport and subsequent emergency department (ED) assessment. We carried out a retrospective chart review. Patients were divided into two groups: minimally injured patients with neck pain (group 1) and moderately injured patients with a closed ankle or wrist fracture (group 2). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare vital signs within groups during transport and ED assessment. Groups 1 and 2 included 90 and 118 patients, respectively. In group 1, systolic blood pressure was significantly lower (P=0.001, median difference 8 mmHg) and heart rate was significantly higher (P<0.01, median difference 3 beats/min) during transport than during ED assessment. There was no significant difference in respiratory rate in group 1 or any of the vital signs in group 2. We conclude that transport anxiety has minimal effect on vital signs. In trauma, clinicians should exclude tissue injury before attributing increased systolic blood pressure or heart rate to anxiety.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to Vital Signs
Vital signs help healthcare professionals assess an individual's well-being and detect any functional changes or...
Guidelines For Measuring Vital Signs
Before taking a patient's vital signs, a nurse would consider and assess the patient's comfort level and ensure appropriate equipment is available.
Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Cardiac Catheterization IV: Nursing Management
Assessing Blood pressure in the Leg
Preparation:
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management
