The capillary refill test, also called capillary refill time or nail blanch test, is a simple technique that nurses can use to assess for blood flow in the extremities.

The capillary refill test can help detect poor peripheral perfusion or even dehydration.

In this nursing skills video, Nurse Sarah demonstrates how to perform the capillary refill test, and shows examples of what a normal capillary refill time looks like compared to an abnormal capillary refill time.

Generally, a normal capillary refill time occurs if the tissue regains its color within two seconds, and if it is longer than two seconds, it may be considered abnormal.

However, some patient populations might have a normal upper limit of 3 seconds, and longer than 3 seconds would be abnormal. Always refer to your facilities protocols and specific ranges before assessing capillary refill.

The capillary refill time is often assessed on a digit's nail or pad. However, it is sometimes assessed on the sternum or forehead in some patient populations, such as newborns.

More Nursing Skills: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQrdx7rRsKfUhd_qQYEbp0Eab3uUKhgKb

Website: https://www.registerednursern.com/
More Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2XMro13dD0&list=UUPyMN8DzkFl2__xnTEiGZ1w
Nursing Gear: https://teespring.com/stores/registerednursern
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/registerednursern_com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RegisteredNurseRNs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NursesRN


Popular Playlists:

NCLEX Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQrdx7rRsKfWtwCDmLHyX2UeHofCIcgo0
Fluid & Electrolytes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQrdx7rRsKfWJSZ9pL8L3Q1dzdlxUzeKv
Nursing Skills: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQrdx7rRsKfUhd_qQYEbp0Eab3uUKhgKb