Performing patient evaluation measures is an important step in patient care.

Taking blood

pressure is a quick and simple procedure I can do with every patient to ensure that they are able

to be treated that day. High blood pressure is often known as the ‘silent killer’ because people are

unaware of what their typical blood pressure is running. Undetected or uncontrolled high blood

pressure could lead to a heart attack or stroke. By taking the three minutes out of my

appointment time to check my patient’s blood pressure, I can confidently say that I am doing

everything I can to keep my patients safe during their visit in my chair.

During this proficiency, I missed one point due to opening the valve too quickly while

taking the patient’s blood pressure. In my time in clinic, I have learned that it is easy to miss the

top number of the blood pressure reading. It is very important to slowly release the valve so I do

not miss that top number in the reading. Having your blood pressure taken twice on the same arm

can start to become uncomfortable for the patient so it is important to get an accurate reading the

first time you are taking it.

Another example of preforming patient evaluation measures that I do for each patient is

to classify them by periodontal case type at each appointment. By using information from their

chart such as periodontal probe depths, clinical attachment levels, furcation involvement, HbA1c

levels, and tooth loss due to periodontal disease, I can individualize each patient and keep a

record of their periodontal status each time they are in my chair. I can then utilize their

classification to teach them on the disease progression in their own mouths.