You have been called for a conscious and alert 83-year-old male complaining of a fever for three days. He has a history of peripheral vascular disease. When assessing the patient's circulation, you have a difficult time feeling his radial pulse. Your next action would be to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If you are unable to feel a radial pulse, the next step would be to check the patient's carotid pulse. This will give you a better assessment of the patient's perfusion status. If the carotid pulse is present, it is likely that the radial pulse is just difficult to feel due to poor circulation. If the carotid pulse is absent, this could indicate a more serious problem with the patient's circulation.

You Have Been Called for a Conscious and Alert 83-Year-Old