During a routine check-up, a 45-year-old patient gets his blood pressure measured. When positioning the patient's arm, you notice the patient is seated with his legs crossed at the knee. How should you proceed to ensure an accurate blood pressure reading?
Only support the patient's arm at heart level without addressing the crossed legs, and take the blood pressure reading.
Ask the patient to stand up and take the blood pressure reading while they are in a more natural standing posture.
Proceed with the reading, as the crossed legs do not significantly impact the blood pressure reading.
You should ask the patient to uncross their legs, place both feet flat on the floor, and support the arm at heart level.
The correct position for a blood pressure reading involves the patient sitting comfortably with feet flat on the floor and back supported. Legs should not be crossed as this can increase systolic readings by 2mmHg to 8mmHg, potentially leading to an inaccurate diagnosis or treatment plan. The arm used to take the measurement should be supported at heart level to avoid the effects of gravity on the circulation of blood, which can also affect the reading.
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