Blood pressure is being calculated with a blood pressure cuff, sphygmomanometer an, a stethoscope. A blood pressure cuff has a rubber bag that can be puffed up using air or sometimes it called a bladder. It also has cloth with a two tubes. One tube is connected to rubber bulb that being use to pump an air to the bladder and the other tube is attached to the sphygmomanometer.
Sphygmomanometer specify the pressure in the air that being release by the bladder. There are two
types of sphygmomanometer: the aneroid sphygmomanometer has a calibrated dial or a needle that
points to number inside the sphygmomanometer and the mercury sphygmomanometer that has a
calibrated cylinder with mercury inside and it usually used in the hospital. When reading a blood
pressure it should be on the eye level for accuracy.
However nowadays hospital is using an electronic sphygmomanometer in order to eliminate the
sound of the client’s blood pressure without using a stethoscope. Be sure to check electronic
sphygmomanometer from time to time for accuracy of the client’s blood pressure. Stethoscope is use to
listen for the systolic and diastolic pressure while using the sphygmomanometer. It is also used if having
difficulty to hear the sound in the blood pressure such as in an obese clients, infants, and shock patient.
By the way blood pressure cuff have different sizes because the bladder must be in correct length
and width with the client’s arm in order to get the correct number of blood pressure. If the bladder
is narrow the reading will be elevated which give out a false reading. That is why before using the
sphygmomanometer check if you have the right cuff because it is important that you have the right
blood pressure.
When taking a blood pressure you should know the right sites where to put your sphygmomanometer
and to do that you need to use your stethoscope to assess the client’s arm by using the brachial artery.
However, you cannot use any arms for blood pressure if the client does suffer from a burn. You have to
find another site in order to get the blood pressure such as on the thigh but in the event that the patient
has injury in both arms, hands, and thigh the best way to get an accurate blood pressure by using direct
measurement or invasive monitoring. In order words, you have insert a catheter into a brachial (upper
arm), radial (artery) or in femoral (femur or thigh) artery.
The importance of being accurate in taking a blood pressure should not be exaggerated. Your client’s
health is being made on the result of blood pressure. That is why we have to minimize errors which
usually happen if you are in hurry or not using sphygmomanometer in a proper way. Make sure that
your equipment is unbroken and functioning. Check if there is an air leak in the bladder and at the same
position your client in a proper position and the sphygmomanometer must be on the eye level for a
correct assessment.