Inegbenebor, Ute and Ekpo KE
Though simple, blood pressure measurement is prone to errors, which may mislead a doctor in the detection, monitoring and treatment of hypertension. In public hospitals, consultants tend to rely on measurements made by other health care providers in the assessment of patients. This report is being presented to highlight the danger patients might be exposed to, when physicians consistently delegate their duties. A physician, who is a known hypertensive, was the subject of this study. His blood pressure was measured by an observer group (control) and an experimental group (hospital staff) independently and compared. There was a significant difference between the two groups of measurement. It is therefore recommended that physicians should measure blood pressures during clinics and ward rounds in order to have a better assessment of their patients. Nurses and junior doctors should be trained in the act of blood pressure measurements and screened periodically for visual and auditory defects.
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