Question of the Week
Posted by Patti on November 26th, 2004 / Print This Post
This is a new thing I want to add to the blog. A question, from the discussion forum, will be asked here. I invite readers here to comment and reply to the question.
Here it is:
Do you routinely take B/P’s on residents/patients who are on meds for high/low B/P? Many aides feel uncomfotable with this practice- as they don’t have confidence they are doing it right. Aides get about 3 hours training on measuring B/P’s- if not less. We are expected to practice a lot, but this doesn’t always happen.
Getting an accurate B/P is vital to the patients’ health and med routines. What do you think?
Here are some links to sites that help with B/P:
Dr. Blood Pressure
Measuring the Blood Pressure
Checking up On BP Monitors
Patti
November 30th, 2004 at 9:49 pm
As an aide in home health and hospice, we take blood pressures on every patient we see. If you just practice and do it often enough, you will develop the confidence that you are doing it right. Of course, each patient is different and don’t be ashamed to let the RN know if you don’t feel you heard the numbers right. I have even had RN’s to ask me to check behind them to make sure they heard it right. As long as we work with the nurses as a team, we can benefit the patient.
November 30th, 2004 at 9:55 pm
Good advice Alene. Thanks! :)