question about BP in clinical skills exam

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I dont remember if I had to do the extra step in CNA class but free videos on top tell you should find the estimated systolic pressure first before taking actual real blood pressure. Did you ladies/gents do that or did you skipped it? Did you get points off for not doing it or is it not required? just wondering?!?!

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Ahh..that. lol

No, I didn't do it and the Nurse Examiner didn't say anything to me except that I did excellent because I got 144/92 and she got 144/90. Then again on our skills test in TX, it was simply P or F for pass or fail on each skill we performed.

I wouldn't think it would matter because B/P changes so frequently, you know, minute to minute...so even if you estimated the SBP at 140 and pumped that high to check it again, doesn't mean that when you take the full BP it wouldn't be 180/60.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.

When I took the test it was required. There is a reason for the estimate. After you get the estimate, you are suppose to go 30 above the estimate. So, if you got 140....you would pump it up to 170. The reason is, let's say that on every pt you pump up to 180. You hear the first sound at 176 and that is what you tell the examiner the sbp is. Well, you may be wrong! What if his sbp is really 205, but you did not pump the cuff up that high? That is the reason that you are to get an estimate first. Now in practice, I've never seen it done, but for the test, I'd do it.

Hope that helps.

Jay

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I asked my examiner if it was required prior to the exam. She said yes, so I did it. I told her I'd never seen it done in actual practice. She agreed that this was so, but said to do it just for the test.

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Ok, thanks so much. good to know bcuz I dont remember. I will do it just in case that way I dont fail or get points taken off!

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Yeah, I've worked at a hospital for 10 months now, have floated to all units including ICU and ER and it's never been done from what I've seen.

What jb2u says makes sense. What I do is, say I pump to 180 and hear the SBP at 178 or 176, then I will repump to 200, etc. until I have about 10mm Hg released before I note the first tone. I don't know if this is an alright thing to do, but it is what I have always done and no one has had a problem with it. Of course...that's the real world.

The test is different.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

Jared...actually what you want to do is deflate and repump up to the desired amount. rationale is that if you pump to 170, pause, and pump up again, then the BP reading will actually be higher! Not a good thing if you are looking at BP meds.

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Specializes in CNA.

[color=silver]i honestly can't remember. i know learning how to take a blood pressure manually was somewhat difficult for me though.

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.
Jared...actually what you want to do is deflate and repump up to the desired amount. rationale is that if you pump to 170, pause, and pump up again, then the BP reading will actually be higher! Not a good thing if you are looking at BP meds.

Well, if I recheck it I always switch arms and do it on the other side.

But thanks for the info.

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