Patients achieve accurate home blood pressure measurement following instruction

This study evaluates the effects of an instruction program conducted by registered nurses on subjects' ability to achieve three blood pressure measurements that were within 2 mmHg of simultaneous readings taken by an instructor listening through a dual headed stethoscope. The sample comprised 30 subjects aged between 22 and 76 years who were referred to a Hypertension Unit over a two month period for home blood pressure instruction. After approximately 45 minutes of individual instruction and practice in the use of an aneroid home blood pressure machine, subjects' ability to measure their blood pressure was assessed by the accuracy of their readings, their responses to a multiple choice knowledge questionnaire, their self-reported confidence in their ability to measure their blood pressure at home and an instructor's evaluation of their technique. Twenty seven percent of subjects achieved three measurements that were the same as those of their instructor, 57% and 17% obtained readings that were within 2 mmHg and 4 mmHg of an instructor respectively. Ninety percent of subjects obtained perfect scores in the knowledge questionnaire, 93% obtained perfect scores in the technique competency checklist and 100% of subjects either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement 'I feel confident enough to measure my blood pressure at home'. The study demonstrates that patients can be taught to accurately measure their blood pressure at home and, herefore, to provide reliable data to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension and hypotension.