Pulse Oximetry Explained
Jun 06, 2023Pulse oximetry is amazing 😍
Here it is in a nutshell 🥜
How does it work?
It uses tiny infrared light sensors to detect the proportion of total haemoglobin that is carrying oxygen. The fact that haemoglobin WITH oxygen looks different to haemoglobin WITHOUT oxygen means it can tell you with reasonable accuracy if your patient is safely oxygenated.
What does it tell you?
1. The % of haemoglobin carrying oxygen (with a number, the with the tone of the beep)
2. The heart rate (because it senses pulsatile blood flow)
What is the normal range?
96-100% is normal. Patients with respiratory disease may have a low baseline, so remember to monitor the TREND!
What are the main causes of error?
1. Dislodged probe
2. Movement
3. Poor blood flow to measurement site
4. Irregular heart rhythm
5. Blue nail polish
6. Blood pressure cuff on the same arm.
For more information on patient monitoring, check out Lesson 3 of the Anaesthetic Assistant Starter Course!
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