Capillary refill is assessed by pressing on a fingernail and releasing; what is considered normal refill time?

• A. Observe skin color after pressing on the fingernail.
• B. Time capillary refill by squeezing the earlobe until color returns.
• C. Press on a fingernail and release; normal refill is 2 seconds or less.
• D. Check refill by applying a tourniquet above the elbow.

Answer: (C)

Capillary refill time gauges peripheral perfusion by blanching the nail bed and watching how quickly color returns after you release. To test it, press on a fingernail until it blanches, then release and time how long the color takes to come back. A normal refill is 2 seconds or less, which indicates adequate blood flow to the extremities. A refill that takes longer suggests reduced perfusion and can be a sign of dehydration, hypovolemia, shock, cold exposure, or vasoconstriction. The other described approaches aren’t standard: merely observing color after pressing without timing isn’t quantitative, using the earlobe isn’t the typical site for this test, and applying a tourniquet above the elbow would artificially alter blood flow and render the test invalid.