Vital signs in hospital patients: a systematic review

Objectives; This review was initiated to identify the best available eviden ce on vital sign measurements in hospital patients. Method: Inclusion Crite ria - Studies that evaluated some aspect of vital signs. Search - Covered a ll major databases and the references of identified studies. Data Analysis. because of the nature of identified studies, data were summarised using na rrative rather than statistical methods, Results: A total of 737 papers of which 69 met the inclusion criteria. Conclusion: This review has highlighte d a need for further investigation of issues related to the role, nature an d optimal practice of monitoring patient vital signs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.