Question

The nurse is checking a patient's heart rate. An appropriate technique for an adult patient is to:

A. Use the pulse oximeter device to obtain heart rate.
B. Use the automatic blood pressure cuff to obtain heart rate.
C. Palpate the carotid artery for 1 full minute.
D. Palpate the radial artery for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to obtain heart rate.

Answer 1

The appropriate technique for checking an adult patient's heart rate includes using a pulse oximeter, an automatic blood pressure cuff, or manual palpation of the radial artery. Palpating the radial artery for 15 seconds and multiplying by four gives an estimation of the heart rate but if the rhythm is irregular, counting for a full minute is advised.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse is checking a patient's heart rate, several techniques can be utilized. The use of a pulse oximeter or an automatic blood pressure cuff can provide digital readings of the heart rate. However, these electronic devices are not always necessary or may be unavailable. An appropriate manual technique for an adult patient includes palpating the pulse.

Palpation can be done at various sites such as the radial artery located at the wrist or the carotid artery in the neck. It is common to palpate the radial artery for fifteen seconds and then multiply the count by four to obtain the heart rate per minute. This method gives a quick and reliable estimation of the heart rate. However, if the rhythm is irregular, counting for a full minute is advisable to get an accurate heart rate.

Methods involving the carotid artery, such as palpating the carotid artery for one full minute, are typically reserved for specific situations due to potential risks associated with pressing on this artery.