Home › CNA Practice Tests › Basic Nursing Skills Questions › Question 35
What is the likely effect of using a blood pressure cuff that is much too large for a thin arm?
- A.A falsely high blood pressure reading
- B.A much faster pulse rate reading
- C.A falsely low blood pressure reading
- D.Pain that raises the true pressure
Correct answer
C. A falsely low blood pressure reading
Why
An oversized cuff compresses the artery too easily and tends to give a falsely low reading. Matching cuff size to arm size prevents both falsely high and falsely low results.
Content outline: Basic Nursing Skills - Vital Signs: Blood Pressure · From the Basic Nursing Skills practice bank (BN-035).