Measurement of Blood Pressure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Measurement of Blood Pressure - Essay Example the systolic blood pressure or the blood pressure when the heart is contracting and it also reads the diastolic blood pressure or the blood pressure when the heart is relaxing. The systolic blood pressure is therefore also the highest pressure exerted by the blood and the diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure exerted by the blood. Before the blood pressure of the patient is taken, the nurse must first gather as much information from the patient as possible. Relevant information includes the patient’s age, gender, weight, and such other pertinent information like the patient history of cardiovascular diseases; hypertensive medications, and if at the time his blood pressure is about to be taken if he is tired or has been physically fatigued. These elements often affect blood pressure reading, indicating it to either be too high or too low. Moreover, normal blood pressure ranges are different for every patient depending on age or current history of heart diseases and hypertension. After establishing the information as mentioned above, the nurse must now prepare her equipment. This would include the aneroid or the mercury sphygmomanometer, the stethoscope, a chair where the patient can sit, and a table where the sphygmomanometer can be placed. The table and chair must be placed in close proximity to each other to ensure that the patient can lay his hand on the table near the sphygmomanometer. The sphygmomanometer has a cuff which is wrapped around the patient’s upper arm; it inflates with air from the air valve. The sphygmomanometer also has a rubber tube connecting the cuff to the air reservoir or to the mercury meter. Such tube is also connected to a rubber bulb which is pumped in order to fill the cuff with air. Before taking the patient’s blood pressure, the nurse must remind the patient to keep still and to be quiet.