The brachial artery is the artery of the upper arm and the site of the pulse checked during infant CPR and blood pressure.

Study for the Missouri EFDA Basic Skills Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your certification exam!

The main idea tested is identifying the pulse site used for infant CPR and blood pressure, which is the brachial artery in the upper arm. This artery runs along the inner side of the upper arm near the elbow, making it easy to locate on a small limb without turning the infant or reaching to the neck or legs. For infant CPR, checking the brachial pulse helps determine whether circulation is present during chest compressions. When measuring blood pressure in infants, the cuff is placed on the upper arm so the brachial artery can be palpated or auscultated to read the systolic and diastolic pressures.

The other sites aren’t standard for this purpose in infants: the neck artery (carotid) is less ideal for routine infant checks; the leg artery (femoral) isn’t used for quick pulse checks in CPR or routine infant BP; and the wrist artery (radial) is difficult to locate reliably in infants and isn’t the usual BP site.