Can we teach taking Vital Signs to a non-health personnel?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med-Surg ward.

Hi nurses! My grandma had a mild stroke 2 weeks ago. She insists to have her Vital Signs, especially her BP, taken every morning. I'm the one doing her vitals (which I don't mind), but sometimes I'm not always there to check up on her. My aunt, who is a non-health personnel, wants to learn how to take the vitals for my grandma. Can I teach my aunt to measure my grandma's BP? How much should I teach her?

Thanks!

Liz

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Digital BP cuffs are often sold in pharmacies (ie, CVS, Rite Aid). Prices vary. I'd ask the pharmacist for recommendations. If your grandma can pick one out, even better--maybe seeing the range of health care supplies that are available will help to de-mystify home monitoring.

Good luck!

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Specializes in CRNA.
even better--maybe seeing the range of health care supplies that are available will help to de-mystify home monitoring.

Good luck!

Good idea, just don't use Michael Jackson's cardiologist as your spokesman!

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Good idea, just don't use Michael Jackson's cardiologist as your spokesman!

Touche

:smokin:

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Specializes in Anesthesia, CTICU.
Hi nurses! My grandma had a mild stroke 2 weeks ago. She insists to have her Vital Signs, especially her BP, taken every morning. I'm the one doing her vitals (which I don't mind), but sometimes I'm not always there to check up on her. My aunt, who is a non-health personnel, wants to learn how to take the vitals for my grandma. Can I teach my aunt to measure my grandma's BP? How much should I teach her?

Thanks!

Liz

I agree with the others.. digital BP cuff is the way to go.

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

As a family member, I don't see a problem with teaching another family member how to do VS on a loved one. Your grandmother likes to have her VS checked, but there is no specific doctor's order to take VS every so often, so I don't see why not. It's just an informational thing. We teach patients all the time how to take their own pulse before taking Dig.

As a side note, automatic BP cuffs are not always accurate. I remember a few years back at a nursing home I worked at, administration thought it was a good idea to buy a bunch of fancy $100 automatic BP cuffs to help the nurses and CNA's with vitals. While the gesture was appreciated, the automatic cuffs were often 10-20 points off in either direction.

Edit: Not talking about the DynaMAP and similar -- just expensive wrist models.

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Specializes in LTC, Disease Management, smoking Cessati.
Hi nurses! My grandma had a mild stroke 2 weeks ago. She insists to have her Vital Signs, especially her BP, taken every morning. I'm the one doing her vitals (which I don't mind), but sometimes I'm not always there to check up on her. My aunt, who is a non-health personnel, wants to learn how to take the vitals for my grandma. Can I teach my aunt to measure my grandma's BP? How much should I teach her?

Thanks!

Liz

I don't see why you couldn't teach your aunt to take Grandma's Blood Pressure, and Pulse.... give her some guidelines for too high or too low so she knows when to check with Grandma's doctor. many family members learn how to do blood pressures, pulses, monitor blood sugars and give insulin...so go for it, then you have a back up!! :D

Hope Grandma does well,

Mydnightnurse

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Before I was a nurse, I was taught by staff at a children's hospital how to drop an NG to tube feed my baby girl if she needed it when we got home.

BP measurements are just the tip of the iceberg of things non-healthcare personnel are taught to do in caring for loved ones.

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I agree as well, an informed family member and advocate is very important for any patient. I did NG, G-Tubes, Epo Injections and PD Dialysis when my son was born and that was just the start.

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You are fortunate to have a grandma who wants to have her blood pressure monitored. Many people want nothing to do with their own health care and even resist family members who are willing to help.

As others have said, teaching someone to take a blood pressure and pulse or do a finger stick is well within reason. Show your aunt what to do and have her do it in front of you every so often to be sure it's being done right. Then praise both women to the rafters for making the effort.

BTW, they're lucky to have you, too. :up:

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Specializes in Med-Surg ward.

Thanks everyone for your replies! I might as well teach my aunt the basics as soon as possible. I do hope Grandma will feel much better soon.

Thanks again!!

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