Does nursing expertise contribute to the accuracy of vascular assessment in the detection of peripheral arterial disease?

This study determined the accuracy of pulse palpation and ankle-brachial pressure measurements (ABI) among nurses with different levels of expertise. This knowledge is clinically relevant because these tests are the basis for diagnosing the presence or absence of arterial occlusive disease in the legs.

Seventy-six nursing participants with a variety of experience—novice n = 14, advanced beginner n = 22, competent n = 12, proficient n = 16, and expert n = 12—performed arterial assessments prior and after training. Accuracy among each level of experience improved significantly (76.5% pre-training and 83.2% post training), with the expert nurses having the most accurate findings. Significant difference exist amongst each group (p = 0.001. In conclusion, nursing skill on a CV unit varies, it is satisfactory although it needs to be evaluated regularly, and additional training is necessary to maintain competency.