Pulse Ox Recommendation?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Apr 24, 2011

Pulse oximeters are a durable medical advice. As such they need to be tested yearly and maintained by biomedical engineering per state and JCAHO regs.

Do not be tempted to purchase your own for legal liability issues.

Instead report malfunctioning/equipment needing repair to mgmt staff.

No change, then an incident report needed to risk mgmt to cya.

al586 · Apr 24, 2011

Thank you!! I didn't think about the liability..

gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN · Apr 24, 2011

I supply my own gear for working LTC. Saddly, the equipment supplied by the company is usually broken, in poor condition or missing. Filling out slips made for repairs doesn't work, and when I have to take VS on my pts daily, I need gear that I can rely on (and find). If I get a reading that is out of the patients baseline, I will retest manually to confirm reading. To get around the yearly testing I just buy new gear every year (and it it tax deductable so save your reciepts). That said, I got a really nice Finger Oximeter at Walgreens, cost about $40.

Jolie, BSN · Apr 24, 2011

I supply my own gear for working LTC. Saddly, the equipment supplied by the company is usually broken, in poor condition or missing. Filling out slips made for repairs doesn't work, and when I have to take VS on my pts daily, I need gear that I can rely on (and find). If I get a reading that is out of the patients baseline, I will retest manually to confirm reading. To get around the yearly testing I just buy new gear every year (and it it tax deductable so save your reciepts). That said, I got a really nice Finger Oximeter at Walgreens, cost about $40.

Buying new gear every year does not protect you from liability. Unless your personal equipment is inspected, tested and tagged on a regular basis according to facility policy by the biomedical department, you are personally liable if it malfunctions, causing inaccurate readings, or if it results in electrical injury to anyone (staff or patient).

I have worked in under-equipped facilities and readily understand the desire to use personal equipment, but agree with Karen that to do so only "absolves" your employer of its responsibility and places you at legal risk.