Automatic blood pressure measurement procedure

Blood pressure ranges 

You are a pharmacy student on placement in a community pharmacy. A patient has come in to have their blood pressure checked. The supervising pharmacist has asked you to carry out the measurement.

To do:

1. Explain the procedure and obtain consent.

2. Ask relevant questions to ensure an accurate reading can be taken.

3. Position the patient and cuff correctly, then start the machine.

4. When you press the button, the assessor will hand you a written result. Communicate this result to the patient.

5. Tell the patient whether their result is within the normal range.

You are NOT required to provide any lifestyle advice or further clinical guidance.

You have 6 minutes.

Resources: Alcohol hand gel, automatic BP machine, BP result card (provided by assessor).

Note for assessors: the BP machine will have its batteries removed. When the student presses the start button, hand them the BP result card below immediately.

You are Robert Kaye (Rob-ert Kay).

Opening statement: "Hello, I've come in for a blood pressure check."

To be given if the student asks. Do not volunteer any information unprompted.

• Name: Robert Kaye

• Age: 54

Background:

• You have not had breakfast yet

• You drank about 200 ml of water on the way over.

• You don’t smoke

• You don’t exercise at all

• You work as an accountant

• You have been in the waiting room sitting down for 20 minutes. 

• You don’t care which arm is used to measure your blood pressure

• You don’t remember when you last had your blood pressure measured, but you know you have had it done before. You think the readings were normal.

• You don’t have any medical conditions, medications or allergies

Before the measurement starts:

• Cross your legs! You are not supposed to do this, so the student should ask you to uncross them.

After the result is communicated:

• If the student tells you the result and explains it is high: "Oh, is that serious?"

General acting notes:

• Be cooperative and calm throughout.

• Only answer what is asked — do not volunteer information.

• If asked anything not covered in this brief, say: "I'm not sure about that."

1. NICE, 2023. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management. NG136. [online] Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136 [Accessed May 2026].

2. British and Irish Hypertension Society. Blood Pressure Measurement. [online] Available at: https://bihsoc.org/resources/bp-measurement [Accessed May 2026].

3. NHS, 2023. High blood pressure (hypertension). [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension [Accessed May 2026].