# BP Cuff Question



## emtwacker710 (Mar 22, 2008)

Does anyone know if leaving your BP cuff in the cold will affect if the needle will move or not? Reason I'm asking is because I am here in upstate NY (which is pretty cold right about now) and I got to a call yesterday in my POV and went to take the pt.'s BP and the needle wouldnt move no matter how much I tried to inflate it...the BP cuff worked fine the last time I used it...maybe it s*it the bed..or did the cold affect it?


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## ffemt8978 (Mar 22, 2008)

I've had them work in the middle of winter in South Dakota without a problem.  You may have gotten some moisture in the gauge that froze.


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## emtwacker710 (Mar 22, 2008)

hmm...ok thanks, I'll have to take a look at it tomorrow...hopefully it's just a minor fixable problem..it's actually a nice BP cuff..not the cheap crappy ones..anyways thanks for the info.


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## JPINFV (Mar 22, 2008)

If it's new, check to see if it's under warrenty. If so, ship it in. I had a problem with my Welch Allyn cuff where the trigger broke off. I mailed it in to them and got a new one back since it was still under warrenty. I almost had to do it a second time because the needle fell off, but I was able to take off the cover and put it back into place fairly easily.


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## emtwacker710 (Mar 23, 2008)

that would be great and all but, i got the BP cuff about 2 years ago from an old first responder in my FD, I'm not sure where or when he got the BP cuff..so if I can't figure out whats wrong I'll just grab the best one I can find from the squad or FD.


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## emtwacker710 (Mar 23, 2008)

ok, solved the problem..kinda..I played around with it, and took stuff off here and there and it still wasnt working right so I got a new one from my FD's EMS closet and so far that one is working fine..


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## JPINFV (Mar 23, 2008)

Wait, a minute. I want to make sure that I read your post correctly. You couldn't fix your cuff, so you stole one from your department? Let's not turn this into a rehash of the "So you're taking something that isn't yours" scene from Office Space either (argue over the definition of "steal").


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## MedicPrincess (Mar 23, 2008)

JP- before throwing accusations of stealing out there....perhaps he is with a department that provides that equipment to people for first responding purposes.

The FD I volunteered with a few years back, provided a variety of equipment to certain personnel that were authorized to respond in their POV's direct to scenes.  We would replace what we used, as needed, and without asking for permission everytime we needed something replaced.  It would be accounted for on an inventory sheet.

I've known many people, who vollie for depts that do the same.


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## JPINFV (Mar 23, 2008)

Sorry, but 'being given a replacement' is much different than saying "I'll just grab the best one I can find from the squad or FD." It's well known that certain tools tend to grow legs and walk, especially things like trauma shears, BP cuffs, and stethoscopes. I'm sure that my missing shears, and other people's missing items, didn't just end up walking off to the La La Land of Missing Equipment. Poor choice of prose then?


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## skyemt (Mar 23, 2008)

JPINFV said:


> Wait, a minute. I want to make sure that I read your post correctly. You couldn't fix your cuff, so you stole one from your department? Let's not turn this into a rehash of the "So you're taking something that isn't yours" scene from Office Space either (argue over the definition of "steal").



you are wayyyy out of line... no one should have that thrown at them by you, who knows nothing of his situation...

my department gives us our equipment... cuffs, scopes, etc... if mine breaks, guess what... i walk into the equipment closet and take another one. that's the way it works... 

certainly don't need someone who knows nothing about how other departments work throwing judgments out there...

by the way, how's the view from atop that very high horse you're sittin' on?


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## ffemt8978 (Mar 23, 2008)

Play nice, people.


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## mikie (Mar 24, 2008)

I don't know much about the workings inside the BP cuff, but if one opens it up to try to fix it, they should confirm it's still accurate by using a second cuff afterwards.  Just a suggestion.


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## emtwacker710 (Mar 24, 2008)

yes my FD does provide equipment to 1st responders (EMT's) seeing as out of 50 FD members we have 6 EMT's (including myself) and only 3 of us 1st respond so their equipment costs are pretty low, and no I would never steal anything from my FD or squad anytime I would think of taking anything I always get permission from the highest ranking officer available.


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## Jon (Mar 24, 2008)

Thanks for clarifying.


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## daedalus (Mar 25, 2008)

i understand what a previous poster had said.
I hate getting into a rig with no adult cuff, no shears, and a trauma bag that looks more like a bag fresh from the store and empty. Everytime i stock my unit with glucose, its gone the next time I use that unit, and no, it wasnt used in patient care.

Im sure the OP had permission, Im talking about things stolen off the units.


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## paramedix (Mar 25, 2008)

I cant say that I ever had the problem of the BP Cuff needle getting "stuck" before. Its almost winter this side, will experiment a bit and who knows... maybe we find something interesting.


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## mikie (Mar 25, 2008)

Everyone, I have a confession to make:

I took a 4x4 and a band aid off of the truck once for myself (I cut my finger).  Should I be suspended?  lol. 

OK sorry, I had to throw that in there, carry on!


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## tydek07 (Apr 7, 2008)

OMG, mikie333, you in *biiiiiggggggg* trouble


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## JPINFV (Apr 7, 2008)

emtwacker710 said:


> yes my FD does provide equipment to 1st responders (EMT's) seeing as out of 50 FD members we have 6 EMT's (including myself) and only 3 of us 1st respond so their equipment costs are pretty low, and no I would never steal anything from my FD or squad anytime I would think of taking anything I always get permission from the highest ranking officer available.



Cool. Sorry about that then. It just seems a bit off when someone goes and starts talking about taking 'the best' equipment off of a rig or out of a bag.


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## mycrofft (Jun 30, 2008)

*I shamed them into sharing with me.*

I have taken equip some newbie or ingorant person threw out and rehabed it, put it back into service, including a $300 portable suction (1985 price), four oto-opthalmoscopes, countless BP cuffs and sphygs, fiber optic exam lights, EKG machines, etc. They let me use an old otoscope and a BP cuff I assembled from parts.

I've had BP cuffs stick when left out in the Nebraska winter, the coil diaphragm was stiff but soon returned to normal. Needle non-activity without air leaks is probably due to a faulty fan gear assembly. Booger it, get another one.


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