Pt refuses to wear bp cuff

[breeze13]

Hello,

One of my new pts doesn't want to keep his bp cuff on. He'll let us take his bps, but won't keep it on because it makes him itchy. It wasn't so bad at first because he would fall asleep and leave it on on his first couple of shifts. However, in his most recent tx, his bp tanked but I got to him before he passed out.

I understand that all patients need to have this on, but he states that the itchiness is extreme for him, but in the sense that it causes him anxiety. I don't believe that so much, but I'm not him and I'm new to dialysis so I don't want to assume that he couldn't really feel that way. Thanks.

[willsgirl]

Find out if he is allergic to the material in the cuff. Or, have him wear long sleeves to the clinic. If he refuses, give him a disposable gown to wear on that arm. Sounds like he may need a barrier between the cuff and his skin. At our clinic, we actually order bp covers that go over the patient's arm like a sleeve. You have several ways to approach the itchiness issue. You can also offer him benadryl.

If these interventions don't work, you may have a completely different problem than the "itchiness" that your patient doesn't want to (or can't) discuss.

Good luck

[breeze13]

Thanks! I check to see if we have those in our clinic. Hopefully having a barrier there will do the trick.