Wow I feel stupid!

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

So I've been through 2 semesters of nursing school. I've obviously been checked off on blood pressures. I take my own maybe once a month and I take my husbands and my parent's maybe once a month or so as well. Other than that I don't get any practice at it, since all the machines in the hospitals are automatic. But I know how lol!

So....I start a new job and have to be checked off on manual BP's. I couldn't hear it all the first time and not very well the second. I felt ridiculously dumb! I know how to take BP's, what's the deal? Did I just get nervous? I know the cuff was too high and therefore the stethoscope was too high as well.

Just wanted to vent. I bet they were all thinking what a dummy I was :)

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Specializes in n/a.

Don't feel bad, it happens to the best of us. Did they check it off?

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Yes lol, I just felt the need to make my humiliation public here :)

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Some people are just hard to hear, especially kiddos

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Exactly why I always watch for the bump. And take it again if I am ever in doubt. :)

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Reapplying the cuff and trying again sometimes helps.

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Don't worry, it happens to me all the time too. Especially working in geriatrics. They are hard to hear!

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Oh, can you watch for the bump? That's pretty much what I did because it was so faint :)

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Some people are just hard to get a decent blood pressure on. When I took my CNA class hardly no one could get a decent blood pressure on me. I had a faint beat and I have low BP. So don't beat yourself up, It sounds like it might not have been your fault.

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