When assessing the force, or strength, of a pulse, what should the nurse recall about the pulse?

A) Is a reflection of the heart's stroke volume
B) Typically recorded on a 0- to 2-point scale
C) Demonstrates elasticity of the blood vessel wall
D) Reflects the blood volume in the arteries during diastole

The heart pumps an amount of blood (the stroke volume) into the aorta. The force flares the arterial walls and generates a pressure wave, which is felt in the periphery as the pulse. The force of the pulse is typically recorded on a 0- to 3-point scale, not a 0- to 2-point scale. The force of the pulse does not reflect the elasticity of blood vessels' walls or the volume in the arteries during diastole.