someone please explain BP

[BlondDee]

Okay I understand how to do a blood pressure but am very confused on the one step blood pressure. are you pumping up the cuff and listening till you hear the first pulse beat then pump 30 mmHg above that number. I understand the two step where you find the radial pulse pump up the cuff till you can no longer feel the pulse open valve deflate the cuff find the brachial pulse and pump cuff till it is 30 mmHg above the estimated systolic reading. I am so worried that when I take my state test that I will have blood pressure and fail. Are you asked to do the two step method or do you have to do the one step at the state test?

Thanks for any help

[20mom10]

a quick explanation of the one step BP is that you "blindly" pump the cuff up and listen for the sound on the way down. The one step method is what the nurse probably does to you when you go for an office visit. I have never seen a 2-step BP done outside of class lab.

If you are doing a one-step, the best way to start is look at the pt's BP history and add 30 to the SBP and take the reading.

[sonomala]

I've never even heard of the two step. We were told to pump it up to 180 then listen for it on the way down. If you don't hear it then or it starts at 180, deflate then go higher and come back down. In NC we test on other students and you have to figure most will have a bp lower then 180. Good luck!

[20mom10]

If your pt had a bp of 86/60 (elderly) and you just pumped the cuff up to 180 you could seriously injure them. If you are going to use a 1-step bp then you should always check their history first.

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

a quick explanation of the one step BP is that you "blindly" pump the cuff up and listen for the sound on the way down. The one step method is what the nurse probably does to you when you go for an office visit. I have never seen a 2-step BP done outside of class lab.

If you are doing a one-step, the best way to start is look at the pt's BP history and add 30 to the SBP and take the reading.

Ditto! That's exactly what I do when I have to do a manual on someone.

[robynnelpnstudent]

I just wanted to comment on the person who said they were told to inflate the cuff to 180....I am currently in nursing school and we were told NEVER to pump it up over 160 when doing the 1-step BP. Only if you need to go that far after doing the 2-step. Just trying to offer help, so you don't injure a patient...