- Sufficient space to record enough vital signs that temporal trends are apparent but not so
much space that the chart appears overloaded
- Taking into consideration the charts use in low-light conditions and its utility for colour-blind staff members
- Acceptable recognised terms and abbreviations used throughout
- Only vital signs considered to be important to be included on the chart
- Placing the most critical vital signs towards the top of the chart as this is where most staff
will look first (for example, it has been suggested that tachypnoea is the the most
important predictor of cardiac arrest for in-patient wards yet it is often the vital sign that is
least recorded)17
- Labelling and spacing columns to minimise error when both documenting and interpreting
vital signs