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, 1 inch above the bend of the elbow
Place the stethoscope over the brachial artery at the inside of the elbow
Close the valve on the inflation bulb
Inflate the cuff until the pulse disappears, then go 20 to 30 mmHg higher
Slowly release the air at about 2 to 3 mmHg per second
Listen for the first tapping sound and note the pressure as systolic
Continue listening until the sounds disappear and note the pressure as diastolic
Record the reading as systolic over diastolic
Wait 1 to 2 minutes before repeating if needed
Measure both arms initially and use the higher reading arm for future checks