Abstract
Accuracy of pulse counting by radial palpation was examined in 25 nursing students and 22 registered nurses. Measurement intervals for pulse palpation were 10, 15, 30 and 60sec. Pulse rates in each interval were compared with heart rate by electrocardiograms which were simultaneously recorded for overlapped 60sec. Pulse rates counted by the students were less than actual heart rate, although this bias was not observed in registered nurses. Mean absolute error of 10, 15, 30 and 60sec measurements were 4.26, 2.46, 1.36 and 1.42bpm for the students, 2.86, 2.44, 0.97 and 0.82bpm for the nurses respectively. In both groups, no significant differences were observed between 30sec and 60sec measurements, suggesting effeciency of 30sec measurement. The pulse rates counted by registered nurses were more accurate than the rates by students, although the difference was not statistically significant.
