Blood Pressure Question

[astone1]

Hi, I have a question about taking blood pressures.

I am a student nurse and on the med/surg floor that I am completing clinical on we use fairly new Welch Allyn all-in-one automated vital machines. As with most blood pressure cuffs these come with an artery marking on the blood pressure cuff. When I see the nurses take blood pressures they just throw the cuff on the arm and I dont believe they put alot of thought into placing the artery marking on the artery. When I take blood pressures I always try to get the artery marker over the artery as best as I can but sometimes I find it hard to get it over the artery on some patients and other times I put on the cuff and forget the pay attention to the artery line. The pressures I get are pretty consistant to what the patient has been getting, I havnt really ever gotten a really odd pressure for that patient. As mentioned above, these are automated devices that are fairly new.

I am kind of worried that sometime when I take a blood pressure the artery line isnt exactly over the artery Is this going to significantly alter my values? I am worried now....

Thanks

[cardiac.cure03]

I don't find it very hard to make sure the artery line on the cuff is actually on top of the artery. So I just take an extra couple seconds and make sure it's on correct.

[oMerMero]

It usually does not matter. Sometimes the machine has a hard time getting a BP reading if the line is not near the artery.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

We find these machines arent necissarily the most accurate. If we get one that seems high we retake it manually and it usually is more accurate. I dont know that not having the artery line in place really has anything to do with it. But its almost become practice if the CNA's get a reading that seems to high,, they automatically take it manually again. I think we rely to much on the automation and less on our own skills. Which isnt really a good thing.

[sharlynn]

In fairness to the machines, sometimes they are more sensitive and MORE accurate than taking it manually.

[talondora1]

The inner "bladder" of the cuff is designed to inflate a certain way. It needs to be placed correctly for accuracy. Many times the readings aren't accurate due to incorrect placing. The same holds true for a manual cuff. However, I too am one who believes in good old fashioned technique and equipment. If they weren't so darn dangerous to use and not so slow, I'd still opt for the mercury thermometer. (grin)