CBTE

WFED Lesson Plan Template

The Pennsylvania State University
Workforce Education and Development
Competency-Based Teacher Education

Lesson Plan Template

Name of Instructor: Stephanie Bowman
Program Title: Health Careers
Course Title: Freshman Seminar
Unit Title: Heart Health
Lesson Title: Radial pulse measurement
Lesson Objectives: Given a lecture and demonstration, the student will perform an
accurate radial pulse measurement within +/-2 beats per minute, reflection quiz
Time (length of lesson): 30-45 minutes
Equipment and Materials needed: visual aids, performance checklist, watch with second
hand, pen/pencil, reflection quiz
Academic Standard(s) and Anchor(s) and/or Common Core Standard addressed by this
lesson:
PA Core Math: CC.2.1.HS.F.5: Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on
measurement when reporting quantities.
Pennsylvania Core Standards for Reading for Technical Subjects/PA Core Standards Science and Technical Subjects CC.3.5.9-10.C: Follow precisely a complex multistep
procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical
tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
Health, Safety, and Physical Education: 10.1.12.A: Evaluate factors that impact growth
and development during adulthood and late adulthood.
Technical Standard(s) or Competencies taught in this lesson:
National Healthcare Foundations: 10.11 Apply procedures for measuring and recording
vital signs including the normal ranges.
Introduction: Give students a tennis ball and have them squeeze for 30 seconds. How did
it feel? How fast did you squeeze? Did you change rate as time passed? Correlate to
heart rate.
Facts: heart beats 100,000 times in one day; beats 35 million times a year; 2.5 billion
times in average lifetime
2013. Professional Personnel Development Center for Career and Technical Education.
Penn State University.

CBTE

WFED Lesson Plan Template

Explain why heart rate (or pulse) is an important measurement for healthcare
professionals to know how to accurately obtain.
Body:
Define pulse
Sites: Pulses can be felt (palpated) at several pulse points.
Students will be given worksheet illustrating where each pulse point is located. They
will color each area to help in learning the points. Students will brainstorm ways to
remember the pulse points in table groups. The table groups will be set up to include
students of varying levels (ELL, gifted, and those with IEPs). Example: The cat ate right
from puppys dish-for the following: Temporal, carotid, apical, radial, femoral, popliteal,
dorsal pedialis
Demonstrate Measuring Pulse
Palpation of radial pulse- Ask the patient to place the arms at his or her side and
bend the elbow with the palm facing an upward position. Find the pulse of the patients
radial artery by using the index and middle fingers. Never use the thumb to find the
patients pulse because the thumb has its own pulse. Count the pulse for 60 seconds and
pay close attention to the strength of the beat. The nurse should write down the patients
pulse rate along with the time and date the pulse was taken. Also, write down the wrist
in which the pulse was taken. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ryHOgfTtY for
video for students to view
Give checklist: Practice on partner.- go around room checking on student
Summary:
Vital signs provide important information on the status of a patient; therefore it is
imperative that healthcare professionals are competent in measuring vital signs such as
pulse.
Use questions to summarize info: where is the radial pulse? How long do you count
pulse for? What does pulse mean?
Evaluation/Student Assessment (attach student worksheets or assessments to this lesson
plan):
Questioning during lecture and demonstration
Competency checklist
Reflection quiz
Special Needs Adaptations and/or Accommodations:
Visual demonstration- make sure student is in front
Table groups
English as a Second Language (ESL) Adaptations and/or Accommodations:
Visual demonstration- make sure student is in front
Table groups

2013. Professional Personnel Development Center for Career and Technical Education.
Penn State University.