What should a technician do if a patient's blood pressure reading is unusually high after a deflation?

When a patient's blood pressure reading is unusually high after deflation, checking the reading against another device is a prudent action to ensure accuracy. Blood pressure measurements can be affected by various factors, including equipment malfunction, improper cuff size, patient anxiety, or body position. By verifying the reading with a different device, the technician can confirm whether the initial reading was accurate or an anomaly due to technical or procedural errors.

Ensuring that the blood pressure reading is reliable is critical for assessing the patient's health accurately and determining whether any further medical intervention is needed. Therefore, this option helps establish a trustworthy baseline before proceeding with any conclusions or actions based on the initial reading.

Other choices, while relevant in various contexts, do not directly address the need for verifying measurement accuracy. While instructing the patient to relax or checking cuff size can be important in managing future readings or patient comfort, they do not help confirm the validity of the current reading. Releasing the cuff immediately may seem appropriate in certain situations, but it does not allow for further assessment or confirmation of the reading, which is essential in patient care.