***Pulse Oximetry

2ndCareerRN · Apr 22, 2002

Hi sweetnurse,

It seems to me that you may be a student nurse from the questions you are asking, many at the same time. It also sounds as though you are doing an ICU rotation. If I am wrong, I will apologize, but, if I am right I think it only fair to yourself and your learning process to do some research and find the answers on your own. I feel that by coming here and getting answers to your questions you may be shorting yourself some knowledge.

Yes, coming here and asking the questions will get you the right answers, but will you learn anything at all from the process?

And if I am wrong about you being a student I will apologize up front. It just seems that more and more theses boards are a way for many of our up and coming nurses to take the easy way out.

bob

sweetnurse11 · Apr 24, 2002

2 nd career RN :Hi

You should not say what ever you have post and copy it 5 times in the board , you don't know who I am and you can't make judgment about me from my question . I'm Registered Nurse working in ICU since one year , I'm not student nurse dewing research or rotation in ICU , I have more interesting in reading and learning more about nursing care and practices in the would and how the nurse can give the best quality patient care in correct manner to save both nurse and patient .I have post my question because I thought other nurse will get benefit from it even if I knew the answer , but that doesn't mean dewing homework by posting my question ,I think if you know the answer and you are interesting to chairing us your opinion regarding that topic will be better instead of writhing report about me...who I am ?.Now you are wasted your time and my times also to writhe for you post reply ,better to keep the place for writhing some thing that others can get benefit from it . * I don't know if my question is too difficult , So no body could answer it .

JMP · Apr 24, 2002

Things that can affect the probe are...

If sunlight is in the room, shining on the hand (finger, toe, whatever you have the probe on) it can give a false reading. Put the hand, foot under a blanket or remove the source from the sunlight.

Other things that can affect the probe- nail polish, artifical nails, probe on too tight, NEVER use pulse oimetry to monitor a pt with carbon monoide poisioning, you will get false high reading.

Things to remember about oxygen consumption with routine nursing care........

Here are some common nursing procedures and conditions, look at the percent of O2 required

Linen change, top to bottom- 47%

Fever- 7%

Infection- 60%

Head Injury, sedated 89%

Head Injury, not sedated 138%

Turning of pt 31%

If the reading is low LOOK AT YOUR PT...... check for signs of hypoxemia...... by definition hypoxia is a lack of O2 to the cells.......Defining terms Hypoxemic low p02 without a change in pC02 examples, pneumonia pulmonary edema. Hypercapnic, low p02 with high pCo2, exampes drug overdose, asthma, flail chest.

Know your pts normal ABG's.....monitor the ABG's with every change in the vent, change in mental statis, change in conditon, whenever you feel the need.

Big thing to remember in O2 monitoring............decreased LOC is a LATE SIGN.

Hope this helps.

J.

Causes of O2 supply to diminish

declining cardiac output

dropping hemogloblin

CATHYW · Apr 24, 2002

Bob, try to be nice to this person. You were young and untutored once, you know!

Another thing that will interfere w/pulse ox readings is cold hands, poor circulation, Reynaud's syndrome. All of these diminish the amount of circulating blood carrying hemoglobin carrying O2.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Apr 25, 2002

Check out some of the manufacturer's sites for the best info.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Apr 25, 2002

Low H & H--say 6/18; pulse ox can ACCURATELY be reading 100%, but pt still hypoxemic due to dangerously low oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

If not good waveform reading, question whether pulse ox is accurate (pt moving hand with probe, etc).

If not getting a good reading on pt's finger, try ear lobe, bridge of nose, across forehead.