Tips for taking blood pressure?

Question

i have a hard time taking blood pressure...
I am a newbie...pretty green..
any tips?

Answer 1

practice practice practice.. there's really nothing else u can do.

Answer 2

Palpate for brachial pulse and apply the cuff with the "artery" indication 2 finger's width above. Do a systolic estimation by keeping two fingers on the radial pulse and inflating the cuff, noting when the pulse disappears. Pump another 30 mmHg then release slowly, noting when pulse reappears.
Take blood pressure as normal, it helps having an estimate that you palpate so that you don't entirely rely on having to auscultate for the korotkoff sounds because you can easily miss it.
Practice more!

Answer 3

im an emt and it took a while for me to learn how to take a blood pressure efficently. the best thing is to just practice. try taking someones while they are laying down then have them stand up and take it again. but dont do it more than 2 or 3 times on the same arm. if you have a hard time hearing the start and stop of the heart beat watch the number on the cuff and when it flutters for the first time is the top number and when it stops jumping that is ur other number. that is the other way i learned other than listening but its less accurate.

Answer 4

The auscultatory method uses a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer. This comprises an inflatable (Riva-Rocci) cuff placed around the upper arm at roughly the same vertical height as the heart, attached to a mercury or aneroid manometer. The mercury manometer, considered to be the gold standard for arterial pressure measurement, measures the height of a column of mercury, giving an absolute result without need for calibration, and consequently not subject to the errors and drift of calibration which affect other methods. The use of mercury manometers is often required in clinical trials and for the clinical measurement of hypertension in high risk patients, including pregnant women.

A cuff of appropriate size is fitted and inflated manually by repeatedly squeezing a rubber bulb until the artery is completely occluded. Listening with the stethoscope to the brachial artery at the elbow, the examiner slowly releases the pressure in the cuff. When blood just starts to flow in the artery, the turbulent flow creates a "whooshing" or pounding sound (first Korotkoff sounds). The pressure at which this sound is first heard is the systolic blood pressure. The cuff pressure is further released until no sound can be heard (fifth Korotkoff sound), at the diastolic arterial pressure. Sometimes, the pressure is palpated (felt by hand) to get an estimate before auscultation. With a mercury manometer this is simple technology which gives accurate pressure readings without issues of calibration.

Answer 5

When I began interning I couldnt hear a blood pressure....I tried and tried...I finally bought a new stethoscope....it wasn't that mine was broken ....I needed a different type. I can't tell you the type but on many stethoscopes you have one "cord" that runs from the ears pieces to the end..mine as two "'cords" made a major difference!

Answer 6

Under no circumstances put the cuff around your neck!

Answer 7

here is a web page that may help
http://nursing.about.com/od/assessmentskills/ht/bloodpressure.htm