Where should the stethoscope earpieces be placed during a blood pressure assessment?

Where should the stethoscope earpieces be placed during a blood pressure assessment?

• A. On the chest
• B. In the ears
• C. In the nose
• D. In the sleeve

Answer: (B)

The earpieces belong in the ears. Insert them into both ears and point the tips forward toward the ear canals so sound travels efficiently to your eardrums. This positioning lets you hear the Korotkoff sounds clearly as the cuff deflates, which is how you determine systolic and diastolic pressures. Placing the earpieces anywhere else—on the chest, in the nose, or in the sleeve—would prevent you from hearing the sounds properly and lead to an inaccurate reading.

The earpieces belong in the ears. Insert them into both ears and point the tips forward toward the ear canals so sound travels efficiently to your eardrums. This positioning lets you hear the Korotkoff sounds clearly as the cuff deflates, which is how you determine systolic and diastolic pressures. Placing the earpieces anywhere else—on the chest, in the nose, or in the sleeve—would prevent you from hearing the sounds properly and lead to an inaccurate reading.