Final answer:
The nurse should use palpation to take a patient's radial pulse, where gentle pressure is applied to the wrist over the radial artery to measure the pulse rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the nurse plans to take a patient's radial pulse, the correct method of examination to be used is palpation. This involves the nurse placing the tips of their fingers over the patient's radial artery, which is located at the wrist, and applying gentle pressure to feel the pulse. This manual technique is effective for measuring the pulse rate and is one of the various diagnostic procedures conducted to assess the cardiovascular system's state.