Finding the Pulse
On which side of the resident's wrist do you place your fingers to find the radial pulse?
The thumb side
To measure a pulse accurately, what specific feature must your watch have?
A second hand
If you measure an adult resident's pulse and it is 45 bpm, what should you do?
Report it to the charge nurse immediately
What is the very first step a CNA must take before touching a resident to measure their pulse?
Perform hand hygiene (Wash hands)
Which part of your fingers should you use to press gently against the resident's wrist?
The tips of your index and middle fingers (or first three fingers)
According to standard CNA testing, how long should you count a radial pulse if you are doing a routine check or the first assessment?
One full minute (60 seconds)
What is the medical term for an adult heart rate that is abnormally fast, exceeding 100 bpm?
Tachycardia
What should a CNA do immediately after counting the pulse but before writing it down?
Perform hand hygiene (Wash hands)
If you cannot find the radial pulse on a resident's left wrist, what should be your immediate next step before reporting?
Try to locate the pulse on the resident's other (right) wrist
What is the normal resting pulse rate range for a healthy adult resident?
60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm)
What is the medical term for an adult heart rate that is abnormally slow, falling below 60 bpm?
Bradycardia
Why should you instruct the resident not to speak while you are counting their pulse?
Talking can change or increase the pulse rate
Why should a CNA never use their own thumb to measure a resident's pulse?
Because the thumb has its own pulse! (you can easily mistaken yours as a resident's)
If the resident's pulse is completely regular, some facilities allow you to count for 30 seconds.
A CNA uses a watch with a second hand to count a regular pulse for 30 seconds and gets 38 beats.
What is the total pulse rate in bpm, and is it normal?
76 bpm, Yes, it is normal (60-100 bpm range)
Besides the speed (rate), a CNA must pay attention to 'this' of a pulse. If a resident's pulse feels skipping, jumping, or uneven, which specific pulse quality is irregular?
The rhythm
During the CNA state exam skill test, your counted radial pulse rate must be within how many beats of the evaluator's count to pass? (+/-)
Within 4 beats (+/- 4 bpm)