I'm having a huge problem with measuring blood pressure!
I've got the systolic down pat, but it's the diastolic I'm having trouble with. My instructor was using a teaching stethoscope (the stethoscopes with 2 ear sets) to hear what I'm hearing whilst taking another student's BP and she seems to be finished with it and have the diastolic reading long before I'm even finished hearing things. I swear, I hear faint beats go all the way down to zero.
Is the diastolic measurement LITERALLY the very last thing you hear when taking a blood pressure, or is there something specific you're listening for?
I have an A in this course and I have everything else down pat other than taking blood pressure and I start clinicals tomorrow, then I'll be finished. But my instructor told me I wouldn't be able to go to clinicals if I didn't have the BP thing figured out, then I fail the entire course! And so near the end!!
Do you think if I bought the teaching stethoscope and went to a local doctor's office, hospital, nursing home, etc.. and asked someone experienced to help me, they would? Because idk anyone personally who could help, as my instructor doesn't seem to want to!
Systolic- the first beat you can hear. Diastolic- after the last beat you've heard. Hope this help. But I think, more practice and experienced may help you. I think you should also check first your stet cause sometimes it was locked. And the brachial pulse of the patient before taking their BP. Ask experts and your teacher... God bless!
kachidekuyua
22 Posts
Systolic- the first beat you can hear. Diastolic- after the last beat you've heard. Hope this help. But I think, more practice and experienced may help you. I think you should also check first your stet cause sometimes it was locked. And the brachial pulse of the patient before taking their BP. Ask experts and your teacher... God bless!