Question

When you take the pulse of a patient, you are really

a. Counting pressure waves of blood that the heart sends through an artery
b. Feeling the swelling of the vein as each wave of blood passes back to the heart
c. Noting the heartbeats in the column of blood in a large vein
d. Feeling the vibrations of the heart muscles as they push the blood through

Answer 1

When taking the pulse of a patient, you are counting pressure waves of blood that the heart sends through an artery.

Step-by-step explanation:

When taking the pulse of a patient, you are really counting pressure waves of blood that the heart sends through an artery. This can be felt by placing the tips of your fingers across an artery close to the body surface and pressing lightly. The pulse rate and strength indicate the heart rate and the strength of ventricular contraction and cardiac output respectively.