Assessing the pulse rate in adult patients

Lowry, Mike

Mike Lowry is lecturer in nursing; Sarah Ashelford is lecturer in biological sciences; both at the University of Bradford.

• This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

5 practice points

1 Normal pulse rate in adults is between 60–100 beats per minute

2 Pulse rate in babies is higher

3 The rhythm of pulse should be regular and consistent

4 Any deviation from normal pulse rate for the patient should be reported and investigated

5 Pulse rates should be accurately documented

Nursing Times 111(37):p 18-20, September 2, 2015.

Abstract

Lowry M, Ashelford S (2015) Assessing the pulse rate in adult patients. Nursing Times; 111: 36/37, 18–20. Assessing the pulse is a common procedure and an important aspect of many nursing interventions; it should always be done with care and reassessed as needed. Assessment should always be taken seriously, with any deviations from the norm reported to a senior clinician, and pulse rate, rhythm and strength must always be documented. Pulses indicate numerous patient characteristics including the degree of relaxation, regularity of cardiac contractions and sufficiency of cardiac output. This article considers the relevant anatomy, physiology and practice of pulse assessment and recording.

Pulse assessment is a vital component of good nursing care. Nurses must feel confident in their ability to accurately measure the pulse to assess patients’ health statuses

Learning points…

> Finding the main pulse sites in adults

> Accurately assessing the different pulses

> Factors that can affect pulse rate