Question

The nurse will perform a palpated pressure before auscultating blood pressure. The reason for this is to:

A)hear the Korotkoff sounds more clearly.
B)detect the presence of an auscultatory gap.
C)avoid missing a falsely elevated blood pressure.
D)identify phase IV of the Korotkoff sounds more readily.

Answer 1

The nurse performs a palpated pressure to detect the presence of an auscultatory gap and avoid missing a falsely elevated blood pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse performs a palpated pressure before auscultating blood pressure to detect the presence of an auscultatory gap and to avoid missing a falsely elevated blood pressure.

Palpating the pressure helps the nurse determine the approximate systolic pressure before using the stethoscope to listen for the Korotkoff sounds. The absence of sounds during palpation can indicate an auscultatory gap, which is a temporary disappearance of the Korotkoff sounds between systolic and diastolic pressure. By palpating beforehand, the nurse can ensure accurate measurement of blood pressure.