NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Clinical Patient CareEasy
A medical assistant is assisting with a physical examination of a patient. The physician asks for the patient's radial pulse. Which of the following locations correctly identifies the radial pulse?
- AAt the side of the neck, just below the jaw.
- BBehind the knee.
- COn the thumb side of the wrist.
- DOn the inner side of the elbow.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. On the thumb side of the wrist.
The radial pulse is palpated on the thumb side of the wrist, just below the base of the thumb. It is one of the most commonly used sites for assessing a patient's pulse.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The side of the neck is the location of the carotid pulse.
- B. Behind the knee is the location of the popliteal pulse.
- D. The inner side of the elbow is where the brachial pulse is typically found.
Radial Pulse Location
The site on the wrist where the radial artery can be palpated to assess heart rate and rhythm.
- Located on the thumb side of the wrist.
- Inferior to the base of the thumb.
- Most common site for routine pulse assessment.
- Palpate with two or three fingers, not the thumb.
Memory trick: Radial: Right on the Wrist, Right on the Thumb!