How soon do you take BP and HR before giving high blood pressure medication?

[bella65]

How soon do you take the blood pressure of a patient on high blood pressure meds before administering them? We were told to take the BP and HR 30 min. before giving the meds to be sure their BP is not too low where we would need to hold the med?

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

As a student you should go by whatever your instructor is telling you. As a nurse, I'm normally ok with the BP and heart rate if the PCT checked them within an hr. The only exception is if I have to give IV BP meds like Hydralizine I will check the BP and HR immediately after giving and then within 30 min of giving if I was concerned that the pt might bottom out.

[bella65]

Thank you! I get confused as to when to do this.

[RooseveltERoosevelt]

If the PCT did not just check within 30 minutes or so or if it was borderline when they did check it, I will usually just go in there with my meds and the BP machine and check it right then and there.

[Karnes1986]

I'm a pre-student nurse, and work as a PCT in the hospital. If I know that one of the pt's are going to be getting BP meds, I try to take their vitals immediately before they get their meds, even if its within an hour of vitals. I think it helps the nurse out, and if I were giving BP meds I would want to know where they stand at that time. I guess every nurse has their own point of view on it though.