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Which of the following statements are true when the nurse is measuring blood pressure (BP)? Select all that apply.

A. The patient's arm should be positioned at the level of the heart.
B. Ask the patient to sit quietly while the BP is being measured.
C. Using a BP cuff that is too small will give a higher BP measurement.
D. Using a BP cuff that is too large will give a higher BP measurement. The patient's BP should be taken 1 hour after the consumption of alcohol.
E. Blood pressure should be taken 1 hour after alcohol consumption

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Accurate blood pressure measurement requires the arm to be at heart level, the patient to sit quietly, and the use of a properly sized cuff. Using a too small cuff can give falsely high readings, and measurements should not be taken immediately after alcohol consumption.

Step-by-step explanation:

When measuring blood pressure (BP), it is important to ensure the accuracy of the measurement. Here are the statements that are true: A. The patient's arm should be positioned at the level of the heart. This is because positioning the arm above or below the level of the heart can affect the reading due to changes in hydrostatic pressure. B. The patient should sit quietly while the BP is being measured to avoid any undue increase in the blood pressure due to physical activity or stress. C. Using a BP cuff that is too small can indeed give a higher BP measurement, as the cuff may have to inflate more to occlude the artery, thus falsely elevating the pressure reading. On the other hand, D. using a BP cuff that is too large does not typically result in a higher BP measurement; it is more likely to cause a lower reading due to the larger size of the cuff spreading the pressure over a greater area. Lastly, E. Blood pressure should not be taken right after alcohol consumption, as alcohol can cause transient changes in blood pressure and could lead to an inaccurate reading. Therefore, it is generally advised to measure blood pressure after a period of abstinence from alcohol to ensure a more accurate measurement.

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