Probe change schedule

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Specializes in nurseline,med surg, PD.

I tried to Google answers for my question but I can't find an answer. How often should you change the pulse ox probe location, in order to avoid skin breakdown?

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Depends on the kid. Q4H for hospitalized kids. Home care/ home vent kids- I sure as heck would not wake them up for that! If they're asleep and I have good pick-up, it stays on. Not poking that particular bear!

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Per the Nellcor manufacturer's site a reusable probe should have the site changed every 4 hours. The adhesive probe should have the site checked at least every 8 hours and changed "appropriately". When I did peds/neo we did not stick to a strict schedule of site changes but the site was assessed with each hands-on care and if we thought it looked like time to move it we would. Some of the kids' skin wouldn't tolerate the adhesive being pulled off frequently.

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I very rarely see a patient that is going to keep one on for four hours. :D Those things don't stay on!!! In the rare instance we have a kid that doesn't move, we check the site PRN and replace as necessary.

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We use Nellcor in our hospital too, and we recommend a change of probe site of q2-3hourly, as we have had cases of burn and also to make sure no pressure mark is cause.

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Specializes in Pedi.
Per the Nellcor manufacturer's site a reusable probe should have the site changed every 4 hours. The adhesive probe should have the site checked at least every 8 hours and changed "appropriately". When I did peds/neo we did not stick to a strict schedule of site changes but the site was assessed with each hands-on care and if we thought it looked like time to move it we would. Some of the kids' skin wouldn't tolerate the adhesive being pulled off frequently.

We used the disposable/adhesive probes when I worked in the hospital and didn't follow a strict schedule either. Most kids would rip them off and we'd change the site after they did that.

Same rule applied to NG tubes. We rarely replaced them q 1 month on schedule but most of them didn't last a month to be replaced anyway.

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We change them on neonates once a shift (8 or 12 hours)

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