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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this nurse was unprofessional?

383 replies

ThisCoolOP · 19/06/2025 17:06

So I went for an appointment at my GP surgery to try and verify the accuracy of two home blood pressure monitors we have in our house. The two monitors give virtually identical readings to each other for everyone in our family - but for my sister one reads 10 - 15 points lower than the other on thr systolic number.

During the appointment, my sister attempted to explain the situation and that she wanted to compare both machines against a manual reading. The nurse immediately told her to "just bin" one of the machines without any attempt to even compare it

The nurse then proceeded to only check one of the machines (the one that reads lower). When the machine displayed a reading of 150/100, she then performed a "manual check" and literally immediately stated "yeah 150/100". Might be just me, but this rapid confirmation seems like the nurse was simply just re-stating the reading she had seen on the machines screen (literally told me her reading was the exact same number) rather than conducting a genuine, independent manual verification. Her pre-judgement of which machine was correct was evident from the beginning, as she refused to consider checking the second machine, despite my clear explanation of the discrepancy of both machines for me, but identical readings for the rest of the family

As a result, I was left in the exact same position I was in before the appointment. I actually suffer from anxiety and came back in tears at how sharp and unhelpful she had been, and because it seemed she had made her mind up there and then she was only checking one machine and that was the correct one (despite them giving the same readings for everyone else), i don't trust what she told me at all

OP posts:
marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 20/06/2025 09:20

If you need to check your BP monitor send it off to be titrated. The makers website has details.

Fanakerpan · 20/06/2025 09:53

Unconspicable??? obsolete adjective possibly, I didn't say that, I cant find that definition in the Oxford English Dictionary, I said it was an unconscionable waste.

Fanakerpan · 20/06/2025 10:09

DysmalRadius · 19/06/2025 19:24

Are those insisting that calibrating BP machines isn't the nurse's job health care professionals? Because our GP surgery offers the exact service the OP is describing to enable more patients to do home heart care and (AFAIK) get more accurate readings due to the flexibility of taking them yourself.

I could understand it it was a case of saying they were only allowed to do one machine per appt or similar, but if they offered to test a machine why not test two - there are plenty of reasons having two could be necessary (two homes, one upstairs one downstairs for eg) so it seems mad to insist that the same one is always used for the sake of a 2.minute check that the OP had been offered for exactly that purpose.

And to those claiming they cannot imagine a situation where someone needs a relative/carer with them for medical appointments, you are coming across as either quite cruel or quite naive.

Calibrating and servicing a BP machine is not the remit of a nurse, home bought machines the maker usually recommends returning every two years for re calibrating and servicing.

ArtfulTaupeGoose · 20/06/2025 10:35

We have to monitor OH blood pressure all the time for our GP and use an Omron one.
This is the one our surgery recommended - they offered us a loan but as it was going to be a long term thing we thought it best to get our own. It is consistent with our GP.
I would either go with the one the nurse said or buy a new one.
Its a shame you've had such unkind remarks - I dont think people sometimes realise how critical these readings are to other conditions.

Auroraloves · 20/06/2025 11:13

ThisCoolOP · 19/06/2025 23:50

It wasnt a silly complaint - honestly! Asked for advice which as a patient you're perfectly entitled to do. I didn't phone for an appointment as I wouldnt take an urgent slot from someone else on purpose! The surgery were perfectly within their rights to come back and say they couldn't help, but clearly whoever triaged the portal message felt they could and it was them who said to bring both machines in! Was only doing what I had been asked to do! Please don't tar me as being at fault for you or whoever else not being able to get an appointment. Wasn't like I phoned to request an urgent appointment

Edited

The nurse checked your sister’s BP independently and confirmed which machine was more accurate for your sister.

As far as I understand from your many MANY posts, this was YOUR machine and not your sister’s?

does your sister have her own machine?

blueshento · 20/06/2025 12:16

In disbelief at some of the comments OP has received in this thread!

My DH has high blood pressure and our surgery were more than happy to check two machines giving him different readings. Good job they did!

Someone in here suggested that the nurse had maybe told OP to bin a machine because they had more experience in a brand being more accurate:

DH had a cheapo machine purchased on Amazon and a clinically validated branded Omron machine. Guess which was correct?... The cheapo machine from Amazon! The Omron had him with severe low blood pressure and the cheapo severe high. After a 24h machine from the GP, he was found to have severe high blood pressure - so you cannot just assume because of a brand name and I don't blame OP for not being filled with confidence by this nurse's clear as day pre-judgement!

Hope you're okay OP xx

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/06/2025 12:18

@ThisCoolOP - if I were you, I would stick to the machine that the nurse cross checked against her own manual BP measurement. This will, at the very least, give you a consistent measurement, so you will be able to see if your BP is falling or rising.

And regardless of which machine you are using, I would report any very high results to the surgery (if you aren’t already doing this, of course).

blueshento · 20/06/2025 12:40

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/06/2025 12:18

@ThisCoolOP - if I were you, I would stick to the machine that the nurse cross checked against her own manual BP measurement. This will, at the very least, give you a consistent measurement, so you will be able to see if your BP is falling or rising.

And regardless of which machine you are using, I would report any very high results to the surgery (if you aren’t already doing this, of course).

This OP. Look for trends in results

I wouldn't personally trust this nurse myself either after telling you to bin one before checking either machine, so I'd be reporting the machine reading very high also to be on the safe side. You can't take chances with BP

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