Blood pressure is one of the most basic vital signs that healthcare professionals monitor in hospitals. It measures the force of blood against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood around the body. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: the systolic pressure (the higher number) and the diastolic pressure (the lower number). A normal blood pressure reading is usually around 120/80 mmHg, although this can vary based on age, gender, and other factors.

Monitoring vital signs in the hospital is an essential aspect of providing basic patient care, but how often and what other technological systems (electronic medical record for documentation and staff phones for notification) should be integrated, is a question of patient safety.

Vital signs monitoring is an important component in assessing a patient's progress during their hospitalization. However, when nurse staffing levels are low, vital signs monitoring may be missed potentially leading to poor patient outcomes, transfers to higher levels of care, and even death.