A medical assistant obtains an elevated blood pressure reading from a visibly upset patient. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Performing orthostatic blood pressure is useful for assessing changes in blood pressure when a patient moves from lying down to sitting or standing. However, it does not address the immediate concern of an elevated reading due to the patient's current emotional state. This action would be inappropriate in this context where the goal is to reassess the initial reading.

Measuring blood pressure at the wrist can yield less accurate results compared to measurements taken at the upper arm, particularly in patients with certain conditions. This method may not reflect the true systemic blood pressure and is not a standard practice, particularly in an acute setting.

The palpatory method is utilized to obtain a preliminary estimate of blood pressure by feeling the pulse, but it does not provide a complete reading. It is typically used as a preliminary step rather than a final assessment, making it unsuitable for accurately addressing the elevated reading in this situation.