Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to study blood pressure and pulse rates, to determine the relationships of blood pressure and pulse rate in the lying position to the blood pressure and pulse rate in sitting position, and to study the differences of blood pressure and pulse rates between the lying and sitting position of healthy women and post natal women. The sample of this study was composed of 30 student nurses of the College of Nursing, Thai Red Cross Society and 30 post natal women of the Department of Obstetrics, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society. They were all considered healthy and were in the same age range (18-25 years). The sphygmomanometer and Stethoscope were used as instruments to measure blood pressure. Pulse rate was measured by palpation in 1 minute. Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient and t-test were used for data analysis. The findings were: 1. The pulse rates in the lying position of healthy women and post natal women were lower than sitting position but the blood pressure in the lying position were higher than in the sitting position. 2. There were significant relationships at .001 level between the lying and sitting positions of both pulse rates and blood pressure (Systolic pressure, diastolic pressure) of both healthy women and post natal women. But diastolic pressure between the lying and sitting positions in healthy women was at .05 level. 3. Significant differences were found in the followings: 3.1 Pulse rates of healthy women in lying and sitting positions was significantly different at .01 level. The similar difference was also found in post natal women at 0.001 level. This also indicated that the pulse rates between lying and sitting positions were different. 3.2 In both healthy women and post natal women, significant differences were found between systolic pressure in lying and sitting positions at .001 level. These also indicated that between systolic pressure in lying and sitting positions were different. 3.3 In post natal women, there was significant difference between diastolic pressure in lying and sitting positions at .05 level. No significant difference was found in healthy women. These also indicated that diastolic pressure between lying and sitting positions of post natal women were different but not different in healthy women.