NCLEX question about blood pressure and IV

[enzo2123]

Hello all!

I just have some general questions that I need clarification on, if anyone can provide some insight, it will be greatly appreciated :)

1) If a patient has a SALINE LOCK, what is the verdict on using that hand for taking a blood pressure. Not a running infusion, but a saline lock.

2) If both hands have running infusions, what is the NCLEX answer for taking the BP? Stop one infusion and take the reading from the hand? Or just take it from the legs.

3) What are the instances do we even take the BP from the leg? I had this one NCLEX practice question where it asked where is a viable method for taking a BP of a left mastectomy female patient with a saline lock on her lower right arm. Obviously it can't be on the same mastectomy side, I narrowed it down to

1) Place the cuff on her right hand ABOVE the saline lock.

2) Place the cuff on her leg, specifically the thigh area to take the BP.

**The correct answer for that question was (1). The rationale for (2) not being the correct answer was that "BP may may taken on the leg in SOME CASES, but doing so is not necessary in this case."

What are these "cases" in which we have to use the leg, instead of the saline lock arm?

Thank you for any help! Just looking for some clarification. Also I would further appreciate it if you can provide answers that go with NCLEX mentality, that would be awesome!

Thanks again!

[VANurse2010]

Bilateral mastectomies, a PICC in one arm and a clot in the other, a clot in both arms, arm is too cachetic to get a BP that will read, AV fistula in one arm and an old failed one in the other, to a name a few. And PS, in the real world nobody stops infusions for BP checks.