Effects of crossing legs on Blood Pressure Measurement

The article Effects of crossing legs on Blood Pressure Measurement by Keele-Smith & Price-Daniel (2001) is summarised and critically examined in terms of usefulness of the findings to inform my nursing practice in New Zealand. The critical framework used was Criteria for evaluating experimental and quasi-experimental designs from Schneider, Elloit, Lo Bondo-Wood & Waber.

The study was undertaken by Rebecca Keele-Smith, New Mexico Sate University and Le Cilla Price-Daniel MAJ Army nurse corps at two senior citizen centres, New Mexico City prior to

The purpose of the study was to determine if blood pressure measurement is affected by the leg crossed at the knee as compared with feet flat on the floor. (Keele-Smith, & Price-Daniel, 2001).

The study design was an experimental design. A non-directional hypothesis rather than a research question was used in this study. The hypothesis stated that participants’ blood pressure measurement would be higher with legs crossed rather than...