Doing vital signs

lilmamastar · Mar 10, 2012

follow the palm side of ur thumb & press down a little(not too much)

good luck :)

angelabLPN · Mar 10, 2012

I would say you can't grip too tightly or too loosely. It varies person to person & some people have a very diminshed pulse which makes it very difficult to feel. It just takes practice & most people are more than willing to let you practice on them if you explain you need help. I think it makes them feel good to know they are helping.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Mar 12, 2012

Sometimes a good way to feel the pulse is to put your hand under the patient's wrist and curl your fingers around the wrist toward the radial pulse area. This way you support the weight of the patient's arm at the wrist and you own arm's weight won't be resting on your fingertips. The only pressure you then put on the artery is that from your fingers searching for the pulse. You can use a little or a lot of pressure, but you can vary the amount very quickly and accurately. If you have small hands, use the thumb to support the patient's wrist and you still won't have to use your fingers to support the weight, you just have to use them to feel the pulse, not obscure it.

It's easier to show than to describe. Some patients have a very weak pulse, some have a very strong pulse, but this way, you'll be able to feel them, if they're palpable at all.

Hrunyon78 · Mar 12, 2012

I had a really hard time finding the Brachial pulse as well. I found that, as corny as it may sound, I got better with practice. The brachial pulse is located in the Anticubital space on the side closest to the body or pinky side of the arm. I know that to find mine, my arm had to be at heart level and completely open.

I hope that helps