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Introduces self
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Confirms name & age of patient
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Explains & gains consent
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Confirms that the patient has not smoked, ingested caffeine or
exercised in the last hour
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If female, confirms the patient is not pregnant
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Ensures that the patient does not cross legs during the procedure
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Washes hands
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Selects an appropriately sized cuff
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Positions the patient with their preferred arm extended and in line
with the heart
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Places the cuff around the arm, aligned with the brachial artery
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Palpates the brachial pulse and inflates the cuff to find the
estimated systolic
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Inflates the cuff 30mmHg over the estimate
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Auscultates for the systolic and diastolic pressures
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Offers to repeat the measurement to ensure accuracy
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Explains the reading to the patient
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Deals with any concerns
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Documents the measured blood pressure
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Thanks the patient
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Washes hands
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Examiner global score: confidence, methodical and proficient
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Advice by Alexandros Sklavounos (Phase 2, 2016)
This is a station that comes up in every OSCE. I broke down the procedure into five parts so that I never forget anything.
- Introduction and consent
- Explaining the procedure (mention it might be slightly uncomfortable but it shouldn’t be painful)
- Ask the 5 standard questions (caffeine, smoking, any exercise, how they arrived and pregnancy if females)
- Exposure (ARM PREFERNCE!!!)
- Procedure
Make sure to practice over and over again attaching the cuff and screwing and unscrewing the valve. If the patient is hypotensive mention you would ask him/her to repeat the procedure whilst standing. At the end mention you will document the results. Read the NHS guidelines for the steps followed in case the reading is above 140/90.