# Vitals Signs: Afrebile. Vital signs unremarkable



## 1071471 (Jun 1, 2010)

Hi,

(1995 guidelines) Vital Signs stable - count as Constitutional exam? As an auditor, I prefer to have the vitals listed (at least one [i.e. vitals: Temp 98.3...) instead of vitals stable and/or unremarkable. For all of you auditors out there...would you "count" vitals stable??


P.S. I looked in the forums to see if this has been posted before, but I was not able to find any. If there is one, I apologize in advance =)


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## sbicknell (Jun 2, 2010)

For me, I would not give him the bullet. Certainly not under the 1997 and I still would not under the 1995. I consider this very lazy documentation. What vitals? What results?

"Stable" to me indicates that there is a comparison or a change. Were they unstable and now stable? What and who defines stable?

If the nurse/tech documented the vitals (BP, temp, HR etc) then I would expect a statement from the physician "vitals reviewed and found within normal limits"

If he did the vitals himself, then he should specify which vitals and the results


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## FTessaBartels (Jun 24, 2010)

*1995*

If using 1995 guidelines I would give credit for "Vital signs stable" - AS LONG AS they were recorded somewhere in the chart for that DOS (usually the nurse records).

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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