Final answer:
A nurse assessing for peripheral arterial disease should evaluate the pulse rate, rhythm, and strength after assessing for pain, focusing on common palpation sites like the wrist, thigh, behind the knee, and foot. These characteristics can reveal the severity of PAD and the blood flow level in the extremities.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the nurse should evaluate various characteristics of the patient's pulse after assessing their pain. Pulse palpation is a method used to assess arterial health, providing valuable clues about blood flow.
The pulse should be evaluated for rate, rhythm, and strength, as these can indicate the severity of PAD and the effectiveness of arterial blood flow. In PAD, blood flow is typically reduced due to narrowed arteries, which can be manifested as a weaker or absent pulse in the affected extremities.
Common sites for pulse assessment include the radial artery at the wrist, the femoral artery in the thigh, the popliteal artery behind the knee, the posterior tibial artery near the medial ankle, and the dorsalis pedis artery at the foot. It is also important to compare pulses in both extremities for differences.