Clinical Skills Training: Do Medical Students Have Enough Knowledge of Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement When Graduate

Abstract

Objective: Accurate blood pressure measurement is critical for diagnosing and treating hypertension. Our study investigated the medical faculty students' adherence to international blood pressure measurement recommendations. Methods: Three hundred fifteen final -year medical students from University and due to graduate in 2021 and 2022 were included in the study. These were asked 21 questions evaluating the different blood pressure measurement steps. The responses were then compared with the guideline recommendations. Results: Of the students, 55.2% were women and 65.7% were 2021 graduates. The majority (69.2%) of the students preferred aneroid devices, while 19.7% selected mercury devices for measurement, and 47.6% paid attention to calibration and validation during device selection. Most participants (92.1%) reported taking measurements sitting, with the back supported and the legs uncrossed. While 62.9% measured blood pressure from both arms at the initial visit, only 37.8% investigated all affecting factors before measurement. Seventy-four percent of the students answered the cuff deflation rate correctly. Approximately half (55.2%) recorded the measured values by rounding them up or down to the nearest even number. Although more than 50% of students answered most of the questions in line with the guidelines, only 1 student completed all the steps appropriately. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that students did not fully comply with the measurement recommendations. Considering the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement to public health, it would be beneficial to reorganize the medical education curriculum and repeat it regularly.