How is capillary refill assessed?

Capillary refill is assessed by observing the color change in capillaries after compression. This method is used to evaluate peripheral circulation and can provide insight into the patient's cardiovascular status. To perform this assessment, pressure is typically applied to a nail bed or the skin; when released, the time it takes for the color to return to normal is measured. A normal capillary refill time is usually around two seconds or less. A prolonged refill time can indicate issues like poor perfusion or dehydration, which is critical information for an EMT assessing a patient's condition.

Other methods, such as measuring blood pressure, applying pressure to arteries, or counting the pulse rate, serve different purposes in patient evaluation and do not specifically test capillary refill.