ECG monitors are commonly used operating instruments in the clinical work of nurses, and blood pressure monitoring is the most commonly used in ECG monitoring. However, there are still some areas that are easily overlooked at work. What do these symbols on the blood pressure cuff of the ECG monitor mean?
Ⅰ. The logo on the blood pressure cuff
The mark circled by the red five-pointed star indicates the midpoint of the air bag. When tying the cuff, the brachial artery of the corresponding limb (on the extension line above the innominate finger) should be attached. Since the midpoint of the neonatal air bag coincides with the airway, there is no other sign. The bladder of the cuff must cover more than 80% of the arm circumference or the measurement will not be accurate.
The blue circles are marked with the maximum and minimum positions when the cuff is bound (the child cuff range is marked on the reverse side). When the cuff is bound around the arm, if the printed white edge does not reach the minimum mark, the cuff used is too large, if it exceeds the maximum mark, the cuff is too small.
Ⅱ. The tightness of the blood pressure cuff and the tightness of the mercury sphygmomanometer cuff
1. The material of the cuff air bag of the mercury sphygmomanometer is different from that of the air bag in the non-invasive blood pressure monitor cuff of the monitor. The former is made of rubber and the latter is made of PVC.
2. The measurement process of the mercury sphygmomanometer is that the stethoscope listens to the Korotkoff sound made by the aorta when the blood flow is not completely blocked by the cuff pressure. The non-invasive blood pressure measurement process of the monitor is that the blood flow is completely blocked by the blood pressure cuff pressure to no resistance. During the process, the sensor captures the change in the amplitude of the gas in the air bag. Therefore, the cuff binding is slightly tighter than that of the mercury sphygmomanometer during non-invasive blood pressure measurement of ECG monitoring.
Ⅲ. Matters needing attention when monitoring blood pressure cuff
The connection between the blood pressure cuff and the patient is different for adults, children and neonates, and cuffs of different specifications must be used. Only adults are used here as an example.
1. After the cuff is unfolded, it should be wrapped around 1-2cm above the patient's elbow joint, and the tightness should be such that 1-2 fingers can be inserted. Too loose may lead to high pressure measurement; too tight may lead to low pressure measurement, while making the patient uncomfortable, affecting the recovery of the patient's arm blood pressure. The catheter of the cuff should be placed at the brachial artery, and the catheter should be in the extension of the middle finger.
2. The arm should be kept flush with the human heart, and the patient should be instructed not to speak or move when the blood pressure cuff is inflated.
3. During pressure measurement, the position of the cuff on the arm should be flush with the heart, and the patient should not speak or move.
4. The blood pressure cuff and the pressure measuring arm should not be used to measure the body temperature at the same time, which will affect the accuracy of the body temperature value.
5. There should be no drip or malignant trauma, otherwise it will cause blood backflow or wound bleeding.
6. Generally speaking, the first pressure measurement value is only for reference.