The client is unstable, so the nurse uses an oscillometric device to measure blood pressures every 15 minutes. Which does the nurse use to verify the accuracy of the blood pressure measurements?

Question

1. The device calculates the diastolic pressure.
2. Knows device adheres to industry standards
3. Blood pressure equates to auscultated pressure.
4. Systolic pressure is within 20% of client baseline.

Answer 1

3
3. If the blood pressures from the oscillometric, automated blood pressure measure-ment, device are close to the client's blood pressure on auscultation using a sphyg-momanometer, the nurse assumes the electronic device is accurate.
1. When the systolic or diastolic blood pressures are calculated by the electronic blood pressure device, the device is actually recording the mean blood pressure, so the systolic and diastolic measurements are not the actual pressures.
2. Industry standards do not exist for electronic blood pressure devices.
4. A systolic measurement accurate within 20% of the client's baseline is grossly in-accurate and using such a measurement potentially leads to catastrophic results.