Okay, this is driving me nuts.... I'm a nurse on a telemetry unit. Last night I had a patient on continuous pulse ox, and I was pulling my hair out trying to get my patient to quit desatting randomly. In report I was told that the guy just had poor perfusion to his fingers and it wasn't reading him right, but I thought he looked kind of dusky, so I put a forehead probe on him-- he was reading anywhere from 65-100%. So I put a venti mask on him at 35%, he stayed in the 90s, I was happy. Called the doc just to give an update. Doc was cool, told me to call him back if anything changed.
A few hours later, the patient was desatting again-- put him on 40%, 50%, just couldn't get him above 80%. Call the doc back-- hey, this patient is bioxing in the 60s and 70s, do you want a chest xray, bipap, anything? And the doctor goes, "Wait. Why do you keep saying "biox"? What does that mean?" I was like, okay, SpO2, pulse ox.... the patient is not getting enough oxygen.
Is biox not a normal thing to say?! I've been saying it forever. I'm sure I said it in the first conversation. I get that Biox is a brand name for pulse oximeters, and not the technical term for the measurement. I thought it was like Kleenex... everybody knows what it is, right?
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Never heard of a Biox, either.
Esme, I loved your stories; I grew up north of Boston where we always referred to any carbonated drink as 'tonic' When I moved south, people wanted a 'cold drink' ......so when I'd say a glass of tonic, people thought I meant medicine, not soda. Regionalisms and accents can be so funny! When I asked for a pin, meaning a safety pin, someone handed me a writing implement...a PEN. I was quite flummoxed about how to fix a busted bra strap with a pen!......Which by the way is to be referred to as 'an ink-pen'.
I haven't heard a hospital gown called a johnnie in over 25 years!
I've heard it called a biox, pulse ox, and 02 Sat. It's commonly referred to as a biox my MD's, Nurses, and other healthcare staff. I'm surprised at how many have not heard of the biox term before.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
I've heard it called a biox, pulse ox, and 02 Sat. It's commonly referred to as a biox my MD's, Nurses, and other healthcare staff. I'm surprised at how many have not heard of the biox term before.
It's because we don't live in 'NoWhereVille' like you do........:)
I've heard it called a biox, pulse ox, and 02 Sat. It's commonly referred to as a biox my MD's, Nurses, and other healthcare staff. I'm surprised at how many have not heard of the biox term before.
Biox was one line of pulse oximetry measuring devices with several different models from a well known manufacturer several years ago.
To use the term "Biox" would be like saying "I am going to get a Dynamap on a patient" when you mean blood pressure. "The Dynamap is elevated". "Doctor, what do you want to do for the low Dynamap?" "Should I get another Dynamap in 10 minutes?"
"Do you want to know the Masimo also?"
"No, I'll get the Nellcor later."
SpO2 is specifically a pulse oximetry reading from a pulse oximeter.
A "sat" could be from a pulse oximeter, a co-oximeter or calculated from blood gas values.
I've heard it called biox- but only because I graduated BEFORE you could measure oxygen saturation at the bedside. We used to have trancutaneous oxygen measurements- the probe attached to the skin and was heated- it often left burns on our preemies if not moved frequently.
Sorry...... off on another trip down nursing's memory lane.........
For those who need a memory refresher: one Biox model had the green pulse pleth screen which was nifty in the 80s. I think another model had an orange or yellowish screen.
The technology improved with more competitors manufacturing better machines for pulse oximetry such as Nellcor and Masimo.
But then some still call a BVM "Ambu" and use it as a verb and a noun. Today "Ambu" manufactures video intubation equipment and LMAs as well as many other products. If I am holding a Laerdal I probably don't need another bag if I want the "Ambu".
For those who need a memory refresher: one Biox model had the green pulse pleth screen which was nifty in the 80s. I think another model had an orange or yellowish screen.
The technology improved with more competitors manufacturing better machines for pulse oximetry such as Nellcor and Masimo.
But then some still call a BVM "Ambu" and use it as a verb and a noun. Today "Ambu" manufactures video intubation equipment and LMAs as well as many other products. If I am holding a Laerdal I probably don't need another bag if I want the "Ambu".
Did not know that about 'ambu' - but oddly, when I say 'bag-valve'mask' during simulation, I am looked at like a two-headed snake.
*filing away tidbit to use on the younger generation
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Never heard of a Biox, either.
Esme, I loved your stories; I grew up north of Boston where we always referred to any carbonated drink as 'tonic' When I moved south, people wanted a 'cold drink' ......so when I'd say a glass of tonic, people thought I meant medicine, not soda. Regionalisms and accents can be so funny! When I asked for a pin, meaning a safety pin, someone handed me a writing implement...a PEN. I was quite flummoxed about how to fix a busted bra strap with a pen!......Which by the way is to be referred to as 'an ink-pen'.
I haven't heard a hospital gown called a johnnie in over 25 years!
Thanks for the memories!
Were I come from tonic is something you put gin or vodka in...we call it pop.
I have to say initially it as very challenging. I found a friend who took pity on me and I would go to her for translation of she would walk by and whisper in my ear. I remember once I made the comment that I might not speak New England.... I do, however, speak jive. (reference Airplane movie...LOL)
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I've never heard of Biox either. We do have a habit of substituting brand names for actual names, I worked on a unit once where each room had an automatic BP machine made by "Omron", some of the staff took to calling a blood pressure an "Omron"; my patient's Omron is 180/100. "Cordis" is another example, we often call an IJ introducer a "cordis", even though the brand Cordis by J&J makes a wide variety of products an the name could apply to just about anything.
That reminds me of another story.
There was a new nurse to the ED and the hospitalsist wanted to insert an introducer...this was one sick patient. The patient was "semi-coding" and I was letting this new nurse "fly" on her own. She was doing a good job but I was right there for her. He was excitable and started talking fast and wanted a Cordis...he had a bit of an accent...so the new nurses expression changed and she became outraged....she rushed over to me and demanded to know if I was going to do anything about that *&)&^&% MD. I was surprised and asked why she was so upset. She said..."Didn't you hear him? He keeps talking about Coitus!!" I bust out laughing then apologized. I said ..."He isn't asking about Coitus he wants a Cordis...and introducer for the jugular vein." The MD., thoroughly annoyed and hyped up..."You can socialize later ladies". We hurried to get what the MD wanted and later told him what our little discussion was all about and fell out of our chairs laughing...another moment that lives on today....LOL
Were I come from tonic is something you put gin or vodka in...we call it pop.
I have to say initially it as very challenging. I found a friend who took pity on me and I would go to her for translation of she would walk by and whisper in my ear. I remember once I made the comment that I might not speak New England.... I do, however, speak jive. (reference Airplane movie...LOL)
I would not have known "Biox" either. We call it pulse ox, SPO2, or O2 sat (not STAT) here in Maine. I worked with a CNA who called the rolling vital sign machines Dynamaps, no matter what company made them. And we call hospital gowns "johnnies" up here, too.
Never have heard of Biox to describe a pulse ox, I usually say their " oxygen saturation level is......" Did the pt have a Pulm embolus or was he a CPOD pt?? We also have to look at the patient, there are some who are perfectly comfortable with their SPO2 in the mid 80's, are they short of breath, exchanging in both lung fields etc. Maybe he needed a nebulizer treatment?? It is true different names are used for different supplies even in the same geographical area, going from one level of care to another also sometimes the equipment is named differently.
....:)
No Stars In My Eyes
5,570 Posts
Never heard of a Biox, either.
Esme, I loved your stories; I grew up north of Boston where we always referred to any carbonated drink as 'tonic' When I moved south, people wanted a 'cold drink' ......so when I'd say a glass of tonic, people thought I meant medicine, not soda. Regionalisms and accents can be so funny! When I asked for a pin, meaning a safety pin, someone handed me a writing implement...a PEN. I was quite flummoxed about how to fix a busted bra strap with a pen!......Which by the way is to be referred to as 'an ink-pen'.
I haven't heard a hospital gown called a johnnie in over 25 years!
Thanks for the memories!