Question

The nurse is assessing a female client's blood pressure because she reported feeling dizzy. The blood pressure cuff is inflated to 140 mm hg and as soon as the cuff is deflated a korotkoff sound is heard. Which intervention should the nurse implement next

Answer 1

The nurse should continue to slowly deflate the blood pressure cuff after hearing the first Korotkoff sound and listen for the last sound to determine the diastolic pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Once a Korotkoff sound is heard at 140 mm Hg, the correct intervention for the nurse would be to continue to slowly deflate the blood pressure cuff and listen for the point at which the last Korotkoff sound is heard, which indicates the diastolic pressure. The clinician should listen carefully, as the initial Korotkoff sounds signify the systolic pressure. As the cuff's pressure is further reduced, the blood flows more freely through the brachial artery, and the sounds will eventually disappear, marking the diastolic pressure.

This process is crucial for obtaining an accurate blood pressure reading, which consists of systolic and diastolic values (e.g., 120/80 mm Hg). The point at which the sounds disappear completely indicates the diastolic pressure.