Have the person sit quietly for 5 minutes with feet flat on the floor and back supported
Make sure the arm is bare and supported at heart level
Choose the correct cuff size
Wrap the cuff snugly around the upper arm, about 1 inch above the elbow
Place the stethoscope over the brachial artery in the inner elbow
Close the valve on the inflation bulb
Inflate the cuff until the pulse disappears, then 20–30 mmHg more
Slowly release the pressure at about 2–3 mmHg per second
Note the first tapping sound as the systolic pressure
Note when the sound disappears as the diastolic pressure
Record the reading immediately
Repeat after 1–2 minutes if needed and average the readings