Feeling stupid (and a little miffed...)

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I am about to start my second semester of an ADN program. Blood Pressure is one of the first skills I learned this past semester and I've done it dozens, if not hundreds, of times. I took a BP on a friend when I was first learning and it read high, so he went to the doc and sure enough, it was way up there and he was put on meds. My point is, I know what I am doing.

My DH has high BP and has been on meds since 1/08. For the past couple of months, I've gotten readings in the neighborhood of 160/110. He got a tetorifice shot at a minute clinic over the summer and the NP told him his BP was high then, too. I've begged him to go to the MD for ages and after two days of a BP (taken by me) of 174/102, he finally went today. I should say that he called his doc about three weeks ago to see if he should come in and said his wife is a student nurse and got a high reading and the doctor totally brushed it off and said he could come in and have it checked if he wanted to...

He just texted me from the exam room while waiting for the MD and the medical assistant in the office got a pressure of 138/90. :confused: Of course I don't want it to be high, but could I be that far off, that often??? I don't think so! He told her it has been high and she said, "Oh, it's just a little high; not too bad." Am I being too touchy because it's my husband? I've had my BP taken by her and she's so fast and talking the whole time and I think she's wrong -- I want the doc to take it himself.

Maybe I just needed to vent! I'm worried about him (not looking for medical advice here -- just wondering if it's within her scope of practice to tell him his BP is OK, and wondering if I need to spend some serious time on the mannequin in the nursing lab once school starts, practicing BPs!)...

Thanks for listening.

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Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

Yeah I have had the MA take my BP and say "Oh your 120/80" Um no I'm not...I run low and I never run ideal!! I don't think the doctors office really takes an accurate BP, they just rush through it and guestimate close to a number.

My hubby runs high like yours does, but he also has a larger arm and I have a regular sized cuff, so perhaps that is causing a bit higher reading. Still cant get mine to go in to see the doc about HTN either....sigh...what will we do with these men!! :-)

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Hmm, if you suspected high BP, I might have asked the MA to check it again, after a few min, in the other arm. Oh, and I would be curious if she's using the right sized cuff.

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I know! I practically have to drag him in, kicking and screaming!

I've eyeballed the cuffs they used and they're just like mine, except mine has pink flamingos on it.:yeah:

I'm just really concerned. My DH is the type who'll just take what the MA says and go, because he doesn't want to deal with it in the first place. AND I'm afraid he'll never trust me again with this stuff.

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Hmm, if you suspected high BP, I might have asked the MA to check it again, after a few min, in the other arm. Oh, and I would be curious if she's using the right sized cuff.

I would've but he won't -- I texted him back to ask the doc to take it, especially since HTN is the principal reason he goes to the doc in the first place.

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Don't doubt yourself. He is your husband and you have his best interest in mind. It may have just been running lower that day than what it has been. I know a lot of nurses or MA's that don't take their time when taking bp's. Everyone makes mistakes but the bottom line is your husband's health and it sounds like he has a good patient advocate in his court!

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Thanks, y'all -- apparently the doc agreed and gave him an ACE inhibitor. I'm just glad he finally went.:redpinkhe

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.

Good thing you got it taken care of. But i often ask myself why guys don't take responsibility for their own health i i wonder if it has to do with their mom's (Mom's sometimes baby their sons a bit much) and their upbringing?? My mom didn't baby me at all and I take care of my own health. In fact she would say, "A Man needs to live on his own to learn how to fend for himself." She would also say, "you need to take care of yourself so you don't have to depend on no woman to do it for you!" "When you decide to be with a girl it will be because you want her not cause you need her!" She didn't play. I mean I make the Dr.s appointments for my daughter...i make sure she gets her flu shot every year...i even get on her mom to get a shot. I don't have time to be depending on someone else to take care of my health. This is just a theory because of my personal experience...so it is definately skewed...

Mex

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Specializes in OR-ortho, neuro, trauma.

Glad everything worked out!!! I know the office where I used to go the Doc's would redo the MA's BPs. And some of the Docs in the office I used to work did the same! If people are coming in especially with a complaint of elevated BP the MD should be taking it themselves!!!!

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I had the same experience at my doctors office, the MA took it and said my BP was normal when I have high BP. The issue was the doctor wanted to monitor my BP because I have a family history of high BP. I was to have it checked everyday for a week. To make a long story short when my doctor came in the room I asked her to retake my BP, and sure enough it was sky high.

I would tell him to have ask the doctor to retake it.just my :twocents:

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

BP isn't a static number. Most people have a wide range throughout the day. Fluid status, diet, time of day, POSITION, which arm, cuff size all influence the readings. The reading in the docs office was still higher than most people should have- A diastole of 90 or above is hypertension. Best bet - buy an automatic cuff. That way the reading technique is the same each time. Take the bp in the same arm in the same position twice a day for a couple of weeks and RECORD. That way you have a valid assessment to take to the doctor. As far as your skill being off- lets face it- it isn't that tough a skill to master- I'm sure you are doing it fine. It is just that one or two readings-randomly taken does not accurately diagnose hypertension. Many BP meds have unwanted side effects and as far as I'm concerned a doc that started someone on meds without a more complete picture isn't doing thier job. Controling HTN is a good idea- treating HNT if it isn't there is a VERY bad one. Based on your description I suspect it is time for treatment but you don't say what the follow-up instructions were. If further assessment and frequent monirtoring wasn't advised you have a right to be concerned.

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BP isn't a static number. Most people have a wide range throughout the day. Fluid status, diet, time of day, POSITION, which arm, cuff size all influence the readings. The reading in the docs office was still higher than most people should have- A diastole of 90 or above is hypertension. Best bet - buy an automatic cuff. That way the reading technique is the same each time. Take the bp in the same arm in the same position twice a day for a couple of weeks and RECORD. That way you have a valid assessment to take to the doctor. As far as your skill being off- lets face it- it isn't that tough a skill to master- I'm sure you are doing it fine. It is just that one or two readings-randomly taken does not accurately diagnose hypertension. Many BP meds have unwanted side effects and as far as I'm concerned a doc that started someone on meds without a more complete picture isn't doing thier job. Controling HTN is a good idea- treating HNT if it isn't there is a VERY bad one. Based on your description I suspect it is time for treatment but you don't say what the follow-up instructions were. If further assessment and frequent monirtoring wasn't advised you have a right to be concerned.

His BP has been elevated for years (we're in our early 40s). He was first dx in '05 and the doc told him to try to bring it down with exercise and diet. Guess what? He never went back. Last Jan. we used a friend's automatic cuff and it read 198/118.:no: Needless to say, he went to the doc the next day (couldn't get him to go to ER). Since he had the hx, coupled with that BP, he put him on Norvasc. Supposed to go back periodically but only would if he was forced to in order to get refills and hadn't been in since Aug. Sooo... I've been taking it regularly at home, practicing, and also because he wanted me to and it's been getting higher and higher, until it's been 160s/100 or so, and he's compliant with his meds. Today, doc gave him lisinopril to add to the amlodipine. I'm just glad the meds are there for him to take. HTN scares me to death. My dad died d/t non-compliance with his own HTN regimen.:(

Thanks, folks, for weighing in! I really, really appreciate it.

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