[Sdiver]

The automatic BP devices were meant to be used in an environment were using a manual BP cuff and scope were difficult, at best, to use. In environments where it is noisy or difficult to hear, such as in a helo or the back of a moving ambulance with the sirens whaling, or when needing to get a generalized assessment over a short period of time, (while the medic was busy with something else attending to the Pt.) you can set the machine to take a BP at different time intervals, every 5 mins, 10 mins, etc. to watch if there is any change. It has now become a "lazy way" of taking a BP in a clinical setting and in some instances, a pre-hospital setting.

As a patient, whenever the tech, nurse, etc. begins to "hook you up" to the automatic cuff, stop them and tell them you would like it done manually, and professionally, because they are going to get bent out of shape you telling them you want it done manually. You have rights ... rights that they MUST follow.

DON'T trust that electronic feldergarb. Just like GPS' v. maps and compasses, trust the old ways, if you want solid answers.