Dinamap cuff keeps popping off?

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

I am so sorry if this is a rather stupid problem but how do you keep

the dinamap cuff on a patient from popping off? I don't know why this happened to me.

It makes me scared to use the dinamap.

What am I doing wrong?

Two things to check: Either the cuff is too small for the patient (they make cuffs for obese patients), and the velcro isn't making enough connections to adhere to itself, or the velcro itself is all fuzzed up with lint or something and needs cleaning.

Make sure the cuff is on straight, not (gosh, how can I describe this?) sorta sideways overlapped like those lapel ribbons everybody wears for different fundraising causes. It won't read accurately if it's not wrapped straight.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

MOre than likely the cuff is the wrong size or the velcro is worn out

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

There are also cuffs that are labeled as "long." You can use them for better wrapping around the arm. Pts who have huge arms often have short arms as well, so the extra large cuffs won't fit correctly. If you can find a long cuff, you can fully wrap around the upper arm without it going half way down forearm.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I agree - cuff's too small. And if you're VERY careful, you can use a pin to pull all the crud out of the rough side of the velcro to make it hold better.

My other thought is maybe it needs calibrated - in other words, is it inflating too much (past 200mmHg) for your patient population? That would also cause pop-offs.

I wish that this company made some cuffs that are shorter (vertically). Many patients have short arms...and some are just too lazy to lift their arm away from their body.

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