How To Take A Pulse
The pulse may be counted on the thumb side of the inside of the wrist, at the temples, the ankles, and other parts of the body where the arteries are near the surface.
The pulse shows the number of times per minute which the heart beats or pumps.
A normal pulse rate for a man is around 72, for a woman 80, for a child 90, and for a baby 100 beats.
A very rapid or a very slow pulse shows that there is something wrong that should be reported. It takes a good deal of practice to learn to count the pulse.
Place two or three fingers on the beating artery, just touching firmly enough to feel the beats, and count for a half minute, then multiply by two to find the number of beats per minute. Be sure that the patient’s hand is in a comfortable position while counting.
