Help me get a manual BP on Preemies!!

kids · Dec 6, 2004

Moving this to the NICU forum as they have more experience with preemies.

prmenrs, RN · Dec 6, 2004

Don't know why you need to do this, but, "in the olden days", we used to get a 'flush' BP: take the foot in your hand, gently but firmly squeeze it, hold it while pumping your cuff up to about 90. Let go of the foot, release the cuff VERY SLOWLY. When you first see the "flush" of blood coming back into the foot, record that number. That's the systolic, and that's all you get.

Sometimes it helps to have an old **** like me around.

sparkyRN · Dec 7, 2004

If the baby's pulses are strong or bounding, you may be able to feel a palpable systolic at the radial or post tib but it's pretty hard to do on most babies. Like prmenrs said, you have to go slow when you release the cuff. We used to do manual BPs up until the early 90's, using a doppler to hear the first systoic sound.

Just being nosy- why can't you use any electronic equipment for a BP?

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2004

That's my question! Why can't you use electronic equipment?

We don't just use systolic/diastolic, we look at the mean BP. I don't know to get that using a stethoscope. :confused:

prmenrs, RN · Dec 7, 2004

You don't use a stethescope. There's really no place to put it. When you do a "flush" BP, put the cuff on the lower part of the extremity. I can't think of a situation that you would have do this, but, if you have to, that's how you'd do it.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2004

That's very cool to know prmenrs! I often wonder how you guys took BPs in the olden days! :rotfl:

prmenrs, RN · Dec 7, 2004

Oh, Great. Now I get to hear about the "olden days" forever. You kids are all grounded.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Dec 8, 2004

No way....I don't even know if I could do a manual on an adult anymore :roll

I remember way back when...we had to build our own UAC transducers...we had a blueprint to follow...now that was sad :eek: :roll

kaytodd · Dec 8, 2004

Hi all! I appreciate your responses!

I am doing Clinical Research studies in a 7 office practice setting. Because they are an office, and not a hospital unit, they only have manual equipment. It's a fabulous career opportunity, but one of my studies is comparing a new RSV vaccine to Synagis. The babies are so small :) The onyl vitals I'm used to doing are resps and temps!

Thanks again for the answers!