What is a safety guideline when checking carotid pulses?

• A. Always palpate both carotid pulses at the same time.
• B. Never palpate carotid pulses at the same time.
• C. Palpate only one carotid at a time.
• D. Palpate carotid pulses during expiration.

Answer: (B)

When checking carotid pulses, the safety principle is to palpate one side at a time. Pressing both carotid arteries simultaneously can markedly reduce blood flow to the brain, especially if there is underlying carotid disease, and can trigger a reflex that slows the heart. Therefore, feel for a pulse on one side with gentle pressure, and only move to the other side if needed. The other options don’t describe the standard safety practice: palpating both at once risks cerebral hypoperfusion, and timing the palpation with expiration is not a recognized safety guideline for this check.