Today our topic of discussion is Oxygen Saturation.
Oxygen Saturation
OXYGEN SATURATION
Pulse oximetry is a vital tool in patient assessment. Nurses must use the correct procedure and be aware of situations where accuracy of reading may be compromised. Detecting low oxygen levels in patients is important but not always easy; central cyanosis-when a patient’s lips, tongue and mucous membranes acquire a blue tinge can be missed, even by skilled observers, until significant hypoxemia is present.
Pulse oximetry can be undertaken to measure a patient’s oxygen levels and help identify earlier when action must be taken. This article outlines the procedure and its limitations, as well as the circumstances in which it should be used.
Pulse oximetry: Pulse oximetry is a simple, non-invasive method of measuring oxygen levels and can be useful in a variety of clinical settings to continuously or intermittently monitor oxygenation. An oximeter is a device that emits red and infrared light, shone through a capillary bed (usually in a fingertip or earlobe) onto a sensor.
Multiple measurements are made every second and the ratio of red to infrared light is calculated to determine the peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO,) (Fig. 8.19). Deoxygenated hemoglobin absorbs.more red light and oxygenated hemoglobin absorbs more infrared light.
- Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive procedure that is used to assess patients’ oxygen levels
- It should be available in all clinical settings where hypoxemia may occur
- Pulse oximetry enables early identification of hypoxia.
- It requires good pulsatile blood flow
- Nurses should record whether the patient is breathing room air or oxygen when the reading is taken, along with other factors that may affect accuracy.
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