What is the proper way to take pulse?

Answer 1

A little bit of training and practice is required but to take a pulse you can use one or two fingers on the wrist or on the neck to feel the heart beat. Generally you take a pulse for 15 seconds and multiply the number by 4 to determine the number of heart bets someone has in 1 minute.

When reporting pulse during first aid you may also want to indicate if the pule was strong/weak, or erratic.

Answer 2

I was always taught to take the pulse at the radial artery in the wrist. Find the pulse, count it for 15 seconds, and multiply by 4. likewise, you can count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 (recommended for patients with weak pulses). If you can't find a pulse in the wrist, the systolic BP has dropped under 90 and you need to take the pulse at the carotid artery in the neck. The same counting methods apply. You can take a carotid pulse normally, if you prefer it, just don't try to take a carotid pulse on both sides of the neck at the same time.