A new patient is seen at an outpatient clinic for a routine health examination. To determine the patient's baseline blood pressure (BP) accurately, the nurse will

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To obtain the baseline BP, the patient's arm should be at the level of the heart. The BP is obtained in both arms; if there is a difference, the arm with the higher pressure should be used to monitor BP. The BP can be obtained with the patient in the supine position, but the arm should be positioned at heart level. A 10 mm Hg difference between BP taken 5 minutes apart is within the range of normal and would not require additional measurements.

A New Patient Is Seen at an Outpatient Clinic for a Routine