Checking pulse

[Elysia M]

what is an easy way to calculate pulse rate in 10 seconds. Calculating to 1 minute?

 

[COmedic17]

Well there's 60 seconds in a minute... 6x10=60....


But I would take a pulse a little longer then 10 seconds if you want a more accurate reading.

 

[Elysia M]

I get that. When I was doing trauma scenarios in class yesterday, the teacher was telling everyone to calculate by 4. I paid no attention to that until now. Thought he was doing it a different way. We have to check till 10 seconds for our scenarios.

 

[STXmedic]

15 seconds by 4.

 

[Qulevrius]

I get that. When I was doing trauma scenarios in class yesterday, the teacher was telling everyone to calculate by 4. I paid no attention to that until now. Thought he was doing it a different way. We have to check till 10 seconds for our scenarios.

You check for no longer than 10 sec on a pulseless, apneic pt (trauma or CPR scenario). You check 4x15 on a live one. The difference between the two is that you palpate for presence of pulse in the former, and you measure the heart rate in the latter.

 

[Elysia M]

Thank you!

 

[NomadicMedic]

 

[planetmike]

Actually, there are several iPhone apps. Look for Pulse-o-matic on iOS.

 

[redundantbassist]

When you need a phone to multiply by 4...

 

[Inspir]

I count to 1 second and then multiply by 60. Works like a charm.

 

[Chewy20]

Me no likely math. 6 seconds X 10.

 

[Chewy20]

I count to 1 second and then multiply by 60. Works like a charm.

"There seems to be a trend with your patients pulses."

 

[DesertMedic66]

I just look at the LifePak 15....

 

[SeeNoMore]

60 + 16+ 120/80. Living that slacking life

 

[STXmedic]

Me no likely math. 6 seconds X 10.

We would do that in college to time recoveries during track workouts

 

[StCEMT]

If I have to give a specific number, 15x4. If I am just getting a general idea then I palp and decide too slow/fast or normal.

 

[Akulahawk]

For a quick check of too fast / too slow, I'll do a 6 second check and multiply by 10. Otherwise it's a 15 second check (double that and double again) for a 1 min rate. If something's not quite right, then I'm going to do a full minute and I'm going to be paying a LOT of attention to regularity...

 

[chaz90]

If I actually count a rate 15 seconds x 4.

That's a big "if" though as I very rarely actually count a rate. Manually palpating a pulse is checking for presence, strength, regularity, and a general feel for fast/slow/normal. The actual rate is going to be displayed on the monitor the EMT is attaching to the patient as I introduce myself.

 

[johnrsemt]

first minute with the patient I always take a quick (5 second pulse) to check it (fast, slow, regular, irregular), also get skin temp and feeling (diaphoretic, dry, cool, warm, hot): I don't care about rate at this point.

When I am checking for rate I do it for 15 to 30 seconds depending on how slow: then multiply by 4 or 2 depending how long I checked it

 

[ERDoc]

"There seems to be a trend with your patients pulses."

Sort of like every ER pt having a resp rate of 18 or 20.