Skills

Measure and Record Pulse, Respirations, and Blood Pressure/Intradermal Injections/Subcutaneous Injections/Deltoid Injection/Vastus Lateralis/Drawing Up Medication/Perform EKG

Measure and Record Pulse, Respirations:

1.Identify and greet the patient. Explain the procedure to the patient.
* 2. Perform Hand Hygiene
3. Position the patient to be seated
4. Find the patients radial by placing your middle two or three fingers on palm side of patient’s wrist on thumb side, next to the bone.
5. Count for 30 seconds, times 2 if regular. (Count for 1 minute if regular)
6. Continue to hold patient’s wrist and begin counting when you see the chest raise and fall: count 30 seconds and times by 2. 12 to 20 breaths per minute for average adult.
*7. Recount respiration if unsure. Record respiration on paper. Recorded respirations must be within 5 of that obtained by the Educator.
*8. Record pulse. Recorded pulse must be within 5 pulses counts of that obtained by the Educator.
9. With the patient seated. lay patient’s entire lower arm on a flat surface at heart level.
10. Expose the arm as much as possible. Squeeze the cuff to expel any remaining air and turn the valve clockwise on the bulb to close it.
11. Wrap snugly around the upper arm—at least one inch above the elbow
12. Clean earpieces and diagram of the stethoscope with alcohol swab.
13. Locate the brachial artery at the inner aspect of the elbow
14. Place earpieces of the stethoscope in your ears
15. Place diagram of the stethoscope over the brachial artery
16. Inflate cuff
17. Loosen valve and deflate the cuff slowly at a rate of 2-3mmHg per second noting the systolic and diastolic reading. Average BP is 120/80.
18. Deflate the cuff completely and remove from the patient’s arm.
*19. Record blood-pressure- recording must be within 4mmHg of that obtained by educator
*20. Perform hand hygiene


Intradermal Injection:

1. Verify the provider’s order with the 7 rights of medication administration-Check order 3×
2. Check patient’s chart for any allergies to the medication that you are about to give

3. Select the appropriate size needle and gauge for the injection
4. Draw up medication