A nurse, unable to palpate the left pedal pulse on a patient with diabetes, should next

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Doppler to listen for the left pedal pulse is the appropriate next step as it provides a more accurate assessment of the presence or absence of the pedal pulse. It is important to determine if the patient has peripheral artery disease, and if the absence of pulse is a chronic or acute problem. Charting the inability to palpate the pulse and notifying the physician may also be necessary, but using the Doppler is the priority action. Calling the nurse supervisor to report the pedal pulse was zero is not appropriate as the nurse should not state that the pulse was zero without properly assessing it first.

A Nurse, Unable to Palpate the Left Pedal Pulse on a Patient