The nurse is helping another nurse take a blood pressure reading on a patient's thigh. Which action is correct regarding thigh pressure?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When blood pressure measured at the arm is excessively high, particularly in adolescents and young adults, it is compared with thigh pressure to check for coarctation of the aorta. The popliteal artery is auscultated for the reading. Generally, thigh pressure is higher than that of the arm; however, if coarctation of the artery is present, then arm pressures are higher than thigh pressures. The popliteal, not the femoral, artery should be auscultated to obtain a thigh pressure as the femoral artery is proximal to the placement of the blood pressure cuff. The preferred position for the patient is in the prone position, not supine.

The Nurse Is Helping Another Nurse Take a Blood Pressure