Vital Signs

Measures and Records Manual Blood Pressure

Take a blood pressure with a cuff and stethoscope. Both recorded numbers must be within 8 mm Hg of the evaluator. State specific: check whether your state tests this or electronic BP.

5-10 minutes•12 steps•1 critical

Why this matters

Clean the stethoscope, deflate slowly, land within 8.

Quick tips

Wipe the earpieces and bell or diaphragm with alcohol first.
Inflate to 160-180 mm Hg; if you hear a beat at once, release all the air and reinflate (never above 200).
First sound is systolic, last sound is diastolic. Deflate slowly.

Common mistakes

Deflating too fast and missing the first or last sound.
Skipping the alcohol wipe.
Starting too low and guessing instead of reinflating.
Rounding down or to an odd number.