Medical providers and facilities administer various levels of care to ensure optimal and long-term care for each patient. A common care technique is pulse oximeter readings, which rely on a probe mechanism and a reading device. These are noninvasive tests that provide medical professionals with a few baseline objectives to administer proper care. In this article, we explore the conditions that may require a pulse oximeter reading and how to navigate the situation should you need one.

The Role of Pulse Oximeter Readings

Pulse oximetry is a medical professional’s understanding of a patient’s blood oxygen saturation. There is a wide range of conditions an individual can experience that have a lasting effect on their blood oxygenation levels. When providers can test and understand these levels, they can provide better, long-term solutions and care. It’s common for medical professionals to use pulse oximeters while treating an individual and collecting the data over the course of their stay. Patients that may receive a pulse oximeter reading while staying at a medical facility include pregnant mothers, neonatal intensive care unit babies, and a variety of other patients.

These readings are noninvasive and relatively routine across the healthcare industry. If you have received treatment at your local hospital or medical center, the chances that your nurses placed a reader on your finger are high. Some professionals may also refer to pulse readings as the fifth vital sign. It serves as a fundamental medical technique for internal medicine, critical care cases, sleep studies and medicine, and pulmonary medicine.

Why a Provider Might Perform a Reading

Though the primary objective is to gain an understanding of a patient’s blood oxygen saturation, a care provider will employ this tool for a variety of reasons. Pulse oximetry can provide baseline information to form a wide range of care decisions.

Commonly, providers will turn to pulse oximetry when assessing lung condition, response to new medications, breathing capacity, and oxygen monitoring before, during, or after a procedure. Additionally, they may rely on this test during a sleep apnea evaluation analysis or to determine if supplemental oxygen therapy is a practical option. While this is only a brief list of scenarios, it’s essential to note that a care provider may request pulse oximeter readings whenever necessary since they are noninvasive and quick.

7 Qualifying Conditions for a Pulse Oximeter Reading

A patient might have an existing, qualifying condition that requires the use of pulse oximetry. Providers will use the readings to evaluate needs and create strategic care plans in most situations. But sometimes, existing conditions require consistent and thorough monitoring. The patients who benefit from regular monitoring will typically have one or more of the following conditions:

• Asthma
• Congenital heart disease
• Heart failure
• Lung cancer
• Anemia
• COPD
• Pneumonia

Risks Associated With Pulse Oximetry

Before a patient receives any medical care and treatment, it’s essential for their medical team to consider any associated risks. Understanding associated risks helps professionals determine which plans of action are appropriate and helps patients trust the treatments.

Pulse oximeter readings are not a form of treatment, but they can help providers determine the next steps in a patient’s care and treatment plan. There are varying levels of risk with anything, but the risks associated with pulse oximetry are low and manageable. These include possible skin irritations from the materials on the probe, whether due to an allergy to the adhesives or otherwise, and incorrect readings should the probe come loose.

Providers generally place the probe on a patient’s index fingers on either hand, but it’s common to find the probe on a toe or earlobe should a finger not be an option. It’s essential to discuss with the provider how the risks might affect you and share any concerns you may have before, during, or after the reading.

How To Prepare Beforehand

Like anything, people often wonder how they can prepare themselves before receiving any level of medical care or treatment. There are no definitive preparations one can make before receiving a pulse oximetry reading. However, when the care provider begins employing these medical measures, patients can start asking questions about the mental preparation process. The provider may also provide a brief list of instructions to aid mental preparedness.

When a patient is wearing fingernail accessories, and the finger is the most necessary and appropriate location for the probe, it’s not uncommon for the provider to request the removal of the polish or acrylic. This step ensures optimal visual assessment during the exam and reduces the chance of the reading capturing inaccurate results.

What To Expect During a Reading

The reading can occur as an outpatient or inpatient test, and your conditions will determine the best course of action. For an outpatient procedure, you will return home the same day as medical treatment. An inpatient procedure, such as childbirth, means you check in with admissions and remain in the facility for as many days as is appropriate for your and your baby’s well-being.

Regardless of the length of stay, you can expect reading to follow the same processes. The provider will place the probe clip on the designated location, finger, toe, or earlobe. The probe will remain in position for any length of time as it pertains to monitoring, outcomes, and conditions. In the case of labor and delivery, it’s not uncommon for the probe to remain on the mother throughout labor to provide the care team with the most up-to-date measurements during contractions or resting phases. Other potential expectations include the removal of the probe immediately after the initial reading is complete, as it may no longer be necessary for patient monitoring.

Post-Pulse Oximetry

A few parameters will outline what happens after the reading is complete. If you’re an outpatient, you will return home. Your provider may advise you to return to your daily activities, meaning no further action is necessary. Depending on the results, it’s possible they will prescribe or suggest a new plan of action. If you’re an admitted patient, you may continue to experience around-the-clock care as it pertains to your conditions and medical needs. In the case of childbirth, the probe may come and go as they oversee you and your baby’s well-being at various points during your stay.

Cascade Health Care Solutions

Cascade Health Care offers a diverse selection of pulse oximeters for adult, neonatal, pediatric, or other specialized care demands. We carry the industry’s most reputable names to equip each medical facility with quality devices and tools. Partner with Cascade today to learn more!