A nurse is obtaining a client's manual blood pressure and is having difficulty auscultating sounds. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Apply the largest cuff available. Using a cuff that is too large can result in falsely low readings. Cuff size should match the client’s arm circumference to ensure accuracy, but simply switching to the largest cuff does not resolve difficulty in auscultation. B. Deflate the cuff quickly. Rapid deflation can cause the nurse to miss the systolic and diastolic sounds, making it harder to obtain an accurate reading. The cuff should be deflated at a steady rate of 2–3 mmHg per second. C. Use the palpatory method to determine blood pressure. When sounds are difficult to auscultate, the palpatory method is a reliable alternative. This involves palpating the radial pulse while inflating the cuff to estimate systolic pressure, which helps guide a more accurate auscultatory attempt. D. Place the arm above the level of the client's heart. Elevating the arm above heart level can lower the pressure artificially, resulting in an inaccurate measurement. For correct results, the arm should be supported at heart level.