Reading Blood Pressure

Transcript

0:00 [ Silence ]

0:03 [ Heart Beating ]

0:13 >> Welcome to this introduction to the skill of reading blood pressure.

0:18 There are many parts to the skill of taking a blood pressure.

0:22 This video is focused on learning to read the gauge.

0:26 You will listen to several blood pressure readings.

0:29 And you will then record your reading.

0:32 So you will need some paper and a pen or pencil.

0:37 The instrument used is called a sphygmomanometer.

0:41 ou will be able to say this word.

0:43 It takes a bit of practice.

0:45 A manometer is a device that measures pressure.

0:50 Sphyg -- which rhymes with fig -- relates to blood.

0:55 Broken into its parts, it is sphygmomanometer.

1:01 The skill we are practicing, is to coordinate what you hear, with what you see on the gauge.

1:08 You will listen for the first sound, which is the systolic blood pressure.

1:14 Next, listen for when the sound stops.

1:19 This is the diastolic blood pressure.

1:22 Then write down your measurement.

1:24 Every measurement has a unit that is part of recording the reading.

1:30 For blood pressure, the unit of measurement is MMHG.

1:36 This stands for millimeters of mercury.

1:40 HG is the chemical symbol for mercury.

1:45 Even though mercury is rarely used in blood pressure devices today, this remains the traditional unit of measure.

1:53 When recording the blood pressure measurement, write down two numbers as a fraction.

1:59The top number indicates the systolic blood pressure when the heart contracts with full force.

2:07 The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure when the heart rests and refills.

2:13 Also, write down the unit, MMHG.

2:18 On a sphygmomanometer gauge, each mark or line stands for a unit of two.

2:25 There are no odd numbers on this gauge.

2:29 No matter what you measure, you can only read what the units allow.

2:34 Round up or down, but don't make up numbers that are not on the scale.

2:40 These longer marks indicate units of 10.

2:44 There is not space on the gauge to write all the numbers.

2:48 Look at where 80 is marked and where 100 is marked.

2:53 The long line in between indicates 90.

2:58 You can see that the numbers 100, 120, 140 are written on the gauge.

3:05 The unnumbered, long lines indicate 110, 130, 150 between the marked numbers.

3:16 The short lines all equal two.

3:19 Look at 100 and 120.

3:22 The long line in between is 110.

3:26 And the short lines equal 102, 104, 106, 108.

3:34 The long line, 110.

3:36 Short line 112.

3:38 114, 116, 118, long line, 120.

3:45 What do you think the number is just one line under 140?

3:51 If your answer is 138, than you are correct.

3:56 Now let's look at the markings as the needle goes down the gauge.

4:01 Let's start at 150.

4:05 What number is the needle pointing to now?

4:08 It's indicating 138.

4:13 Now the needle is pointing at 110.

4:23 Where is the needle pointing now?

4:26 It is indicating 68.

4:30 Now for the moment you've been waiting for.

4:33 These sounds are from a simulator arm.

4:36 And do not sound the same as a real person's blood pressure.

4:41 But the idea is to listen for the sounds, and mark where you hear the first sound, and the sound stopping.

4:51 We will listen to six different blood pressures, and pause between each to give you time to record your measurement.

5:01 After all six blood pressures have played, the answers will be shown.

5:07 Here we go.

5:08 [ Silence ]

5:26 [ Heart Beat ]

5:32 [ Silence ]

5:58 [ Heart Beat ]

6:07 [ Silence ]

6:34 [ Heart Beat ]

6:39 [ Silence ]

7:03 [ Heart Beat ]

7:12 [ Silence ]

7:40 [ Heart Beat ]

7:45 [ Silence ]

8:09 [ Heart Beat ]

8:19 [ Silence ]

8:30 You have now heard six different blood pressure readings and recorded your measurement.

8:37 Here are the answers to blood pressures one, two, and three.

8:43 And here are the answers to blood pressures four, five, and six.

8:50 Did you all come within plus or minus 4 millimeters mercury with your readings compared to the answers?

8:59 That is the standard for accuracy for our course for the skill of measuring blood pressure.

9:06 After some practice, you will come within 2 millimeters mercury compared to another person listening with you to the same blood pressure.

9:18 You were not born knowing how to do this.

9:21 It takes practice.

9:24 Now, one more time, everyone say sphygmomanometer.

9:29 Thank you all for participating in this exercise.

9:33 I hope it was helpful.

9:36 Please contact your instructor if you have any questions.

9:40[ Silence ] ------------------------------8f91f9101f9a--