I want to spend money.....

[blueberrybon]

On a wonderful automatic BP cuff. The cuffs at my work are less than perfect. They are all manual and none of them hold pressure. I have my own manual, but want to upgrade to an automatic.

After spending a couple of hours comparing cuffs and prices on line, I realize I need expert input. So...experts... please give me name brands of the best so that I might be the proud owner of one.

Thanks in advance...

Blue

[psalm, RN]

Well, I don't have any input on brand etc. But find out from the powers that be at your facility if you can use it on pts. and legally record it. I was at a facility that wouldn't allow nurses to use the nonin finger pulse ox.

[natrgrrl]

I agree. If it is something that has to be calibrated, maintained or cleaned in any special way I doubt if you will be allowed to use it. But you can still ask.

[deeDawntee, RN]

I don't think the brand actually matters as long as you correlate it to a manual cuff reading. It is your practice and as long as you verify

out-of-normal range results with manual readings, you should be fine.

Cleaning and calibrating shouldn't be a concern considering the fact that doing that at your facility doesn't seem like a priority whatsoever. I would bet that the main concern will be the accuracy, and that may be a crap shoot to find something that is reliably accurate.

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

I experienced the no hold pressure cuff in peds onc. clinical. I told the nurse I was working with, we need a new cuff in here. She bawled me out because it was a "doctor's" child, and the doc was right behind me. Next day we had a new cuff that worked. Why can't the old ones be replaced? Just curious?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

examine the manual cuff's bladder, and the juncture of the tubing and inflation bulb, and the junture of the tubing and the dial.....as they age they deteriate from the pressure of being expanded to accomodate the metal nipples.....if this is the case, disassemble and trim of about 1/4 -3/8 of an inch of the tubing and try again

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

oaur facility does not allow them because of infection control and bio-med is not able to calibrate/repair them. Also, no one will repay you if it is lost or damaged.

[sassynurse78]

I have one I use a lot, but when I first got it I used it along with the manual to make sure it was accurate. It was, I use a brand called Omron. Others I work with do to. I rub a little alcohol gel on the cuff part every couple days just in case but honestly when does anybody ever clean the manual cuffs anyways? I never see it done. The only thing that drives me crazy about them is the nurses that will get a wacky b/p and chart them without rechecking with a manual. You would think that would be common sense. Mine cost me 80$ and was worth every penny!