[jambutty]

In an earlier post I dared to suggest that a loose layer of cling film around the arm would solve the problem of possible cross infection from a blood pressure cuff. This suggestion was met with ridicule because it was claimed it would affect the reading.

A few days ago I was attending my doctor to get the pneumonia jab and whilst he was on the oche with the needle poised in his hand I asked him if a couple of layers of cling film or even a shirt sleeve would affect the reading.

His reply! “No it shouldn’t!” So he took my blood pressure over a bare arm and then over an arm with my shirt sleeve rolled down. There was no appreciable difference in the reading.

This would indicate that cling film or even a disposable long plastic bag, because you put your arm through the cuff loop and it could and probably would touch the arm somewhere along the way before being in place, would be a way of not spreading nasty things from one patient to another by means of the blood pressure cuff.

But hey! What do I know? I’m not in the medical profession so any idea coming from the outside will be met with derision and ridicule.