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Preparation
- Position patient properly
- Confirm no food, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine or exercise in the last 30 minutes
Pulse
- Properly palpate the radial artery; count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4
Special Consideration: Abnormal Pulse
- Count for a full minute if abnormality detected
Respirations
- Do not inform patient
- Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2
Special Consideration: Abnormal Respirations
- Count for a full minute if abnormality detected
Blood Pressure by Palpation
- Accurately select proper cuff size and state reasoning
- Correctly place cuff on arm
- Support arm at heart level
- Palpate radial artery
- Inflate cuff until pulse disappears
- Deflate cuff to estimate systolic pressure
- State estimated systolic pressure
Blood Pressure Measurement
- Palpate brachial artery
- Correctly place cuff on arm
- Support arm at heart level
- Inflate cuff 30 mmHg over estimated systolic pressure
- Deflate cuff slowly (<5mm/sec)
- Auscultate systolic and diastolic pressures with diaphragm
Special Consideration: Auscultory Gap
- Define term and significance
Proficiency
- Wall mount
- Aneroid
- Digital
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