A nurse is preparing to assess a client for pulse deficit. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

Rationale: A. After inflation, deflate a blood pressure cuff on the client's arm while palpating their brachial pulse: This technique assesses blood pressure, not pulse deficit. Pulse deficit requires comparing simultaneous heartbeats at different sites rather than using a cuff for measurement. B. Compare the client's carotid pulse while resting to their carotid pulse after standing for 1 min: This evaluates orthostatic changes in heart rate, not pulse deficit. Pulse deficit specifically identifies a difference between apical and peripheral pulses during the same cardiac cycle. C. Measure the client's apical pulse while another nurse measures their radial pulse: A pulse deficit is determined by counting the apical pulse and comparing it to the radial pulse simultaneously. A difference indicates that some heartbeats are not producing a palpable peripheral pulse, which is important in conditions like atrial fibrillation. D. Assess both of the client's radial pulses at the same time and compare the quality of pulsations: Comparing radial pulses on both sides evaluates for peripheral pulse equality or arterial obstruction, not pulse deficit.