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Like everything else in nursing, practice is the best way to learn this skill. When I started on a telemetry unit I was worried because up until then I found the dorsalis pedis easily on about 50% of my patients- now (many pulses later) I am about 90%. One thing you can do is practice on your family and friends- sounds strange but the more relaxed and confident you are the better it will be. Also, if you don't feel it at first try a lighter touch. Sometimes you can press so hard that you can't feel the pulse. Remember some may not have a pulse there due to vascular disease, so try a doppler.
Just a note, if you have to use a doppler to find the pulse, please mark it for the next person following you, especially if it was hard to find.
That is just a huge pet peeve of mine for the previous nurse to tell you how hard the pulse was to find, but they do not mark it, so then I have to spend time to refind it.
Barb
Thanks guys! I knew I could count on you. We talked a bit about this a clinical yesterday and I know it is not just me. Last night when we came home, I practiced on my kidos. I think I will keep up the practice over the weeked and see if that makes a difference for me. One of my issues may have been that I was pressing too hard. I will try a lighter touch! Thanks again!
Okay. First of all, the very best spot for me to feel a pedal pulse is the middle fingers of each hand, not the tips, more like in the middle behind the tips of these fingers.
That being said, do you always feel a radial pulse without mashing on it some? No? Especially those weak and thready ones...see where I'm going with this? I lay the finger down where it should be. If nothing I move with a light tough up and down the foot, slowly, provided it doesn't tickle unbearably. Then I start mashing and letting up, where it should be. Also, make sure the patient isn't pointing their toes on purpose or flexing their feet too much. Just have 'em keep a nice neutral position. For very weak ones I have to do this for both feet at the same time, and I gotta look at the ceiling sometimes while doing it. If it wasn't in a spot that made sense to me, I might go ahead and mark it for the next person, and definitely report off that it was a weak pedal pulse.
If you really have problems with this skill, just practice on your family and /or willing classmates.
Tiny1Nisolet
199 Posts
Hello everyone,
I am looking for some tips in finding the dorsalis pedis pulses. Sometimes I find them right away but other times not. Can you offer me any tips or sure fire methods that you are using
? Thanks so much:balloons: !