Published Mar 25, 2013
FutureCRNA?, BSN, RN
120 Posts
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 :)
kenyacka
91 Posts
Don't feel bad, it happens to the best of us. Did they check it off?
Yes lol, I just felt the need to make my humiliation public here :)
brithoover
244 Posts
Some people are just hard to hear, especially kiddos
elprup, BSN, RN
1,005 Posts
Exactly why I always watch for the bump. And take it again if I am ever in doubt. :)
amoLucia
7,736 Posts
Reapplying the cuff and trying again sometimes helps.
klhobson
3 Posts
Don't worry, it happens to me all the time too. Especially working in geriatrics. They are hard to hear!
Oh, can you watch for the bump? That's pretty much what I did because it was so faint :)
mvm2
1,001 Posts
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.