Re: aneroid sphygmomanometer calibration

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We have someone come inspect all our equipment once a year, he gave me a hint about the sphygmomanometers. He said when deflated the needle needs to be in between the two bold lines, I think it is between zero and 5 on mine. At any rate there are bold lines, if the needle is above that deflated, the piece needs to be calibrated down as will read high by that amount and vice versa for below. Now I can just look at the gauge if the reading seems goofy. There is a way to dial the needle back to where it goes with a little screw driver on mine. KrisThe year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards. AOL Music takes you there.

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There's a calibration circle for zeroing on the aneroid dial. Just like zeroing a scale

Matt in Western Pa

aneroid sphygmomanometer calibration

have it checked with your yearly periodic equipment maintenance.in between periodic maintenance, if you have one which obviously doesn't work, don't use it; i also look for congruency between any individual reading and the patient's condition and history, and previous bp measurements.hope that's helpful.LL <elaine2mdgmail> wrote:

how do you standardize/ calibrate your aneroid bp machine. I have one from med school that always reads 120/80 adn it looks brand new? Should we buy new ones every couple of years?

On 2/11/08, lawrence lyon <llyonmd> wrote:

yes, a mercury sphygmomanometer is the gold standard, and i considered getting one, however the cost, and risk of potential mercury spill were just not worth it, especially since there are plenty of aneroid ones out there which work just fine, are much cheaper, and there is no risk of mercury spill and/or contamination, and potential patient exposure and liability as a result.do what you like, knock yourself out, but if you become mad as a hatter, you have only yourself to blame.besides, there are plenty of other contaminants around if you feel the need to be exposed.LLKathy Broman <kbroman1mac> wrote:

I disagree regarding the mercury sphygomamanometer. We got ours used and they stay very well attached to the wall and are highly unlikely to come off and spill. They are very accurate and are the gold standard to which other sphygo...s are calibrated to as far as I know. I do have my mercury spill kit, though. I got pretty good at cleaning up mercury when I was using a mercury thermometer to check my basal body temps way back in the dark ages when I was trying get pregnant. I kept sending them sailing across the room when shaking them down first thing in the morning. But then maybe that explains this memory problem that keeps getting worse. What was I talking about anyway? KathyOn Monday, February 11, 2008, at 12:50AM, "lawrence lyon" <llyonmd> wrote:>STAY AWAY FROM A MERCURY SPHYGMOMANOMETER.>it's just not worth it in case of a spill.>look for used equipment, either from a retiring doc, craigslist, or even ebay, state/other government surplus.>fujitsu scansnap for scanner, use your computer to send and receive faxes, get a decent inexpensive laser printer, like an hp 1020.>LL>>Chirag Patel <cpmwu2000> wrote: Can everybody give me some tips on what they have bought for supplies for a newer office? I'm FP:>>Sphygmomanometer? looking at ADC 952B seriesmercury wall mounted>>exam tables?I'm looking at Ritter 204's, need 2-3, may get a power one too, 222>>Printer? Copier? Fax machine? Should I get an all in one? Looking at brother models, may stay away from all in ones in case it goes down, then I'm stuck>>Stools?>>ECG?>>Wall mounted Otoscope/Ophtalmascopes? Man, those are pricey>>Peds/Adult Scales?>>What top 3 EMR's should I be looking into besides just Amazing Charts? I'm new, can't spend that much of course, but just figured I would throw that out there >>Thanks!>> >>--------------------------------->Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. > > >> >--------------------------------->Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

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[Guest guest]

Yikes--I didn't realize we had to calibrate blood pressure sphygmomanometers. Does that also apply to the mercury based devices. How do you know if the sphygmomanometers are not accurate?

Many thanks.

Jill

Jill R. Baron, MD, PCPrimary Care and Holistic Medicine44 East 32nd Street, 11th floorNew York, New York 10016www.drjillbaron.comThe year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards. AOL Music takes you there.

[Guest guest]

just check them/have them checked to make sure they're accurate; don't go bananas. do this on a periodic basis and when one doesn't seem like it reads correctly.as long as the manometer tube doesn't move up or down in the pool of mercury, i don't think the mercury sphygmomanometer needs calibration, but better check with pm about that.LLDrJillBaronMD@... wrote: Yikes--I didn't realize we had to calibrate blood pressure sphygmomanometers. Does that also apply to the mercury

based devices. How do you know if the sphygmomanometers are not accurate? Many thanks. Jill Jill R. Baron, MD, PCPrimary Care and Holistic Medicine44 East 32nd Street, 11th floorNew York, New York 10016www.drjillbaron.comThe year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards. AOL Music takes you there.

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[Guest guest]

The springs break. I would not think the mercury ones need calibration. During my training, we only used mercury ones. Being here in california with our earthquakes, better to avoid mercury. Bp machines are not that expensive. when the warranty runs out, I guess it would be time to replace it.

There's a calibration circle for zeroing on the aneroid dial. Just like zeroing a scale

Matt in Western Pa

aneroid sphygmomanometer calibration

have it checked with your yearly periodic equipment maintenance.in between periodic maintenance, if you have one which obviously doesn't work, don't use it; i also look for congruency between any individual reading and the patient's condition and history, and previous bp measurements.

hope that's helpful.LL wrote:

how do you standardize/ calibrate your aneroid bp machine. I have one from med school that always reads 120/80 adn it looks brand new? Should we buy new ones every couple of years?

yes, a mercury sphygmomanometer is the gold standard, and i considered getting one, however the cost, and risk of potential mercury spill were just not worth it, especially since there are plenty of aneroid ones out there which work just fine, are much cheaper, and there is no risk of mercury spill and/or contamination, and potential patient exposure and liability as a result.

do what you like, knock yourself out, but if you become mad as a hatter, you have only yourself to blame.besides, there are plenty of other contaminants around if you feel the need to be exposed.LLKathy Broman wrote:

I disagree regarding the mercury sphygomamanometer. We got ours used and they stay very well attached to the wall and are highly unlikely to come off and spill. They are very accurate and are the gold standard to which other sphygo...s are calibrated to as far as I know. I do have my mercury spill kit, though. I got pretty good at cleaning up mercury when I was using a mercury thermometer to check my basal body temps way back in the dark ages when I was trying get pregnant. I kept sending them sailing across the room when shaking them down first thing in the morning. But then maybe that explains this memory problem that keeps getting worse. What was I talking about anyway?

Kathy

>STAY AWAY FROM A MERCURY SPHYGMOMANOMETER.>it's just not worth it in case of a spill.>look for used equipment, either from a retiring doc, craigslist, or even ebay, state/other government surplus.

>fujitsu scansnap for scanner, use your computer to send and receive faxes, get a decent inexpensive laser printer, like an hp 1020.>LL>>Chirag Patel wrote: Can everybody give me some tips on what they have bought for supplies for a newer office? I'm FP:

>>Sphygmomanometer? looking at ADC 952B seriesmercury wall mounted>>exam tables?I'm looking at Ritter 204's, need 2-3, may get a power one too, 222>>Printer? Copier? Fax machine? Should I get an all in one? Looking at brother models, may stay away from all in ones in case it goes down, then I'm stuck

>>Stools?>>ECG?>>Wall mounted Otoscope/Ophtalmascopes? Man, those are pricey>>Peds/Adult Scales?>>What top 3 EMR's should I be looking into besides just Amazing Charts? I'm new, can't spend that much of course, but just figured I would throw that out there

>>Thanks!>> >>--------------------------------->Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. > > >> >--------------------------------->Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

-- M.D.www.elainemd.com

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

-- M.D.www.elainemd.com