[black small square] In "Acute Peripheral Arterial Occlusion" (Action Stat, January 2004), the author refers to palpation of the anterior tibial and dorsalis pedis pulses. The anterior tibial becomes the dorsalis pedis and is palpable where the artery lies close to the skin on the dorsum of the foot. For a total assessment, the nurse should also evaluate the posterior tibial pulse. It's palpable as it passes behind the medial malleolus of the ankle.

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