While assessing a client's blood pressure using an aneroid sphygmomanometer, the nurse inflates the cuff to an initial reading of 160 mm Hg. Upon release of the air valve, the nurse immediately hears loud Korotkoff sounds. Which action should the nurse implement next?

Choice A reason: Continuing the blood pressure assessment until the last Korotkoff sound is heard is not the best action to implement next. It may result in an inaccurate measurement of the diastolic pressure, as the cuff pressure may be too low to detect the sound.

Choice B reason: Repositioning the stethoscope in the antecubital fossa over the palpable brachial pulse point is not a necessary action to implement next. It may not affect the accuracy of the blood pressure measurement, as the nurse already hears the Korotkoff sounds clearly.

Choice C reason: Inflating the cuff quickly to a higher mm Hg reading than the previously auscultated systolic sound is not a safe action to implement next. It may cause discomfort and injury to the client, as the cuff pressure may be too high and occlude the blood flow.

Choice D reason: Releasing the air and reinflating the cuff to 30 mm Hg above the client's previous systolic reading is the best action to implement next. It helps to avoid the auscultatory gap, which is a period of silence between the systolic and diastolic pressures. It also ensures that the cuff pressure is high enough to detect the true systolic and diastolic pressures.

Choice A reason:Hand hygiene is the foundation of Standard Precautions and the single most effective action to prevent transmission of infectious agents. Performing handwashing or using an alcohol‑based hand rub immediately before preparing or administering an injection removes transient microorganisms acquired from touching surfaces and protects both the client and the environment from contamination

Choice B reason:While wearing gloves during handling and disposal of contaminated sharps is recommended whenever there is potential contact with blood or body fluids, it is a secondary barrier. Reliance on gloves alone is insufficient because gloves can have micro‑perforations and are removed after use, making hand hygiene before and after glove use the priority

Choice C reason: Donning a face mask before administering the medication is not a necessary action to indicate an understanding of standard precautions. A face mask is only required when there is a risk of droplet transmission of infectious agents, such as when caring for a client with respiratory infections. It is not needed for self-administration of medications, unless the medication is aerosolized or nebulized.

Choice D reason: Removing the needle before discarding used syringes is not a safe action to indicate an understanding of standard precautions. It increases the risk of needle-stick injuries and contamination. The needle and syringe should be disposed of as a single unit in a puncture-resistant container.