The dental assistant is taking the vital signs of a 62-year-old woman who has a severe toothache. Her temperature using the digital thermometer is 101° F. Her blood pressure is 100 mm Hg systolic over 70 mm Hg diastolic. Her pulse reading is 75 beats per minute. Which vital signs taken by the dental assistant are not within the normal range? What is the likely cause of the abnormal reading? What characteristic of a digital thermometer should the assistant keep in mind when using it? How should the dental assistant respond to this information about the patient’s vital signs?
