What do nurses assess to document a pulse deficit?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the specific pulse rates that nurses assess in order to document a pulse deficit. It requires knowledge of nursing practices related to pulse assessment.
Answer
Compare the apical pulse and radial pulse.
Nurses assess a pulse deficit by comparing the apical pulse (heard with a stethoscope) and the radial pulse (felt at the wrist). If the heartbeats at the apical site are not all felt at the radial site, there is a pulse deficit.
Answer for screen readers
Nurses assess a pulse deficit by comparing the apical pulse (heard with a stethoscope) and the radial pulse (felt at the wrist). If the heartbeats at the apical site are not all felt at the radial site, there is a pulse deficit.
More Information
A pulse deficit occurs when there is a difference between the heartbeats heard over the heart (apical pulse) and those felt at a peripheral site (radial pulse). It can be a sign of cardiac conditions like atrial fibrillation.
Tips
A common mistake is not synchronizing the timing while assessing apical and radial pulses, which can lead to inaccurate results.
Sources
- Assessmentnursing of apical pulse - pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca
- Assessment of apical radial pulse - jove.com
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