Do nursing textbooks accurately describe pulse oximetry? An audit of current literature.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of a patient's vital signs is a critical nursing task. Despite this, research has found that many nurses have a poor understanding of pulse oximetry. AIM: As undergraduate students rely heavily on textbooks as an educational resource, an audit was conducted of nursing texts to determine the quality of pulse oximetry descriptions. METHOD: The audit was guided by questions based on the findings of research examining nurses' understanding of pulse oximetry. Two researchers used these questions to appraise textbook content. FINDINGS: A convenience sample of 32 contemporary nursing textbooks was appraised. Text descriptions of pulse oximetry varied from brief to more extensive, with the content ranging from superficial to detailed. CONCLUSION: Superficial, inconsistent or misleading information within basic nursing textbooks may be one factor associated with nurses' knowledge deficits about pulse oximetry. Academics and nurse educators should appraise core content of textbooks carefully before recommending textbooks to nursing students.

Pulse oximetry and the enduring neglect of respiratory rate assessment: a commentary on patient surveillance.

Clinical surveillance provides essential data on changes in a patient's condition. The common method for performing this surveillance is the assessment of vital signs. Despite the importance of these signs, research has found that vital signs are not rigorously assessed in clinical practice. Respiratory rate, arguably the most important vital sign, is the most neglected. Poor understanding might contribute to nurses incorrectly valuing oxygen saturation more than respiratory rate. Nurses need to understand the importance of respiratory rate assessment as a vital sign and the benefits and limitations of pulse oximetry as a clinical tool. By better understanding pulse oximetry and respiratory rate assessment, nurses might be more inclined to conduct rigorous vital signs' assessment. Research is needed to understand why many nurses do not appreciate the importance of vital signs' monitoring.

Factors which influence concordance among measurements obtained by different pulse oximeters currently used in some clinical situations.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate both concordance among those measurements obtained by three different pulse oximeters currently used by nursing professionals in hospital units and the factors which can influence this concordance. BACKGROUND: Many models of wireless pulse oximeters in the present market do not offer possibility of calibration and, therefore, they do not ensure patients' safety in daily clinical practice. DESIGN: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample of patients (140) was selected from such hospital units, and all of them had to fulfil inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation. METHODS: The instruments used to carry out this research were a monitor (calibrated), two models of portable wireless pulse oximeters (used for 3 years by the nursing staff, without being calibrated), a tympanic thermometer and a weather meter. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was used to establish the concordance, whereas the Landis-Koch criteria were used to interpret the results. RESULTS: The concordance among the three devices was considered as "good" (CCC: 0.925 and 0.974 (95%)). The CCC (0.925) for saturation measures was regarded as "very good"/"almost perfect," and the pulse measure was considered as "very good" CCC 0.974, providing in both cases a high level of concordance (CCC > 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The overall concordance as regards pulse and oxygen saturation among the three pulse oximeters analysed is considered as "very good" according to the Landis-Koch criteria. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: There exists a "very good" concordance among two wireless oximeters which have been used by the health staff for 3 years and which did not offer any possibility of calibration and one monitor which belongs to the healthcare institution. This aspect is of crucial importance in daily clinical practice, and it is also relevant to ensure patient's safety.

Using pulse oximetry to assess oxygen levels.

Abstract Olive S (2016) Using pulse oximetry to assess oxygen levels. Detecting low oxygen levels in patients is important but not always easy; central cyanosis--when a patient's lips, tongue and mucus membranes acquire a blue tinge--can be missed, even by skilled observers, until significant hypoxaemia 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 Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease: Bringing Evidence Into Practice.

Congenital heart disease is the most common and serious type of infant birth defect. Pulse oximetry screening has been supported in the literature as a valuable tool to aid in the prompt detection of critical defects. Pulse oximetry is easily accessible, inexpensive, and noninvasive, and can be readily performed by clinical nurses at the infant's bedside; however, it remains a technology that is underutilized in newborns. Nurses can be leaders in addressing the need to translate knowledge into practice to improve the morbidity and mortality rates in the newborn population.

ASPMN survey--nurses' practice patterns related to monitoring and preventing respiratory depression.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing convened a taskforce to develop guidelines on monitoring for opioid-induced sedation and respiratory depression. Part of the guideline development was the determination of nursing practice patterns related to monitoring and preventing respiratory depression during the administration of analgesics for pain. One hundred and forty-seven responses were received from 90 unique institutions across the United States. Monitoring adults with intermittent pulse oximetry while using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) was 58%. Adults were monitored with continuous pulse oximetry by 25% of respondents. When using continuous epidural analgesia, 56% of patients were monitored intermittently, and 40% were monitored continuously. The use of end tidal CO2 (ETCO2) monitoring was much less, with 2.2% patients on epidural therapy, and 1.5% of institutions were using ETCO2 with IV PCA. The survey also included the location of the alarm, respiratory parameters for alarms, changes in procedures reported by institutions, and definitions of high-risk patients.

A nurse-driven algorithm to screen for congenital heart defects in asymptomatic newborns.

Routine pulse oximetry screening (POS) performed on asymptomatic newborns after 24 hours of life, but before hospital discharge, may detect critical congenital heart defects (cCHD) when used as an adjunct to physical examination. Timely identification of this small percentage of newborns prompts early intervention and improves outcomes. New-generation, highly accurate pulse oximeters provide a simple, low-risk, low-cost tool to improve detection of potentially lethal cardiac lesions. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and test the utility of a nurse-driven algorithm that would support and serve as a guide for detection of cCHD in asymptomatic newborns using POS prior to discharge home from the hospital. Results showed that this collaborative protocol was easily implemented in a community hospital. The universal algorithm enhances POS and clinical examination to identify asymptomatic infants with undiagnosed cCHD prior to discharge from the hospital.

Low-flow oxygen therapy in intensive care: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: There is scant published evidence that explains how ICU nurses' manage low-flow oxygen therapy; and, hence little is known about how low-flow oxygen therapy is delivered on a daily basis. AIM: The aims of this study were first to observe how ICU nurses' manage low-flow oxygen therapy and then to compare observed nursing practice on the management of oxygen therapy with patients' documented measures of oxygen saturation (SpO2) and respiratory rate (RR). METHOD: From May to July 2009, eight 2h observation periods were conducted in one ICU of a metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. Data were collected at using a structured observation tool, field notes and chart review. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and frequency statistics, and textual data were reviewed using a content analysis procedure. RESULTS: Over the 16 h of observed nursing practice, there were 96 points of measurement involving 16 patients and 16 ICU nurses. The management of low-flow oxygen therapy varied between nurses and data revealed that nurses did not always promote effective oxygenation. Documented SpO2 was 98.0% (SD 2.8%) and observed SpO2 was 96.3% (SD 1.8%). Documented RR was 19.6 breaths/min (SD 3.5) and observed RR was 21.0 breaths/min (SD 16.8). Episodes of hypoxaemia and tachypnoea occurred while patients were receiving oxygen and nurses did not always respond appropriately. CONCLUSION: ICU nurses' management of low-flow oxygen therapy was suboptimal and documentation of oxygenation and respiratory rate was inaccurate. Further exploration of how ICU nurses manage low-flow oxygen therapy is a necessary prelude to the conduct of interventional studies and the development of better guidance to support low-flow oxygen therapy in the ICU.

A retrospective exploration of patient-ventilator monitoring intensity, therapeutic intervention intensity, and compliance with lung protective guidelines in a cohort of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The current approach to mechanical ventilation for adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute lung injury (ALI) involves maintaining key patient-ventilator parameters within established lung protective targets. Monitoring is part of the processes of nursing care believed to guide therapeutic intervention and facilitate compliance with these targets. Empirical relationships between monitoring, therapeutic intervention, and compliance with these practice guidelines have not been adequately explored. METHODS: A retrospective observational design was used to explore relationships between monitoring intensity, therapeutic intervention intensity, and compliance with a lung protective philosophy of mechanical ventilation in a cohort of patients with ARDS or ALI. Compliance with lung protective targets was measured as the proportion of time oxygen saturation, alveolar distending pressure, and tidal volume were maintained within recommended guidelines as evidenced by medical record documentation. Monitoring intensity and therapeutic intervention intensity were based on the frequency of recorded assessments and interventions in the medical record. RESULTS: Monitoring intensity correlated positively with both severity of illness (r = 0.39) and with therapeutic intervention intensity (r = 0.30), and was inversely related to compliance with lung protective guidelines (CLPG) (r = -0.34). A regression model including monitoring intensity, severity of illness, risk for abdominal hypertension, and CLPG was statistically significant (p = 0.02) but explained little of the variance in compliance with lung protective parameters (R2 = 0.13). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with recommended lung protective parameters in the absence of standardized monitoring and intervention protocols is suboptimal. Preliminary evidence of positive relationships between monitoring and both severity of illness and therapeutic intervention was established. Control for nursing and physician practice variation is needed to rule out the influence of surveillance and performance bias on collaborative practice outcomes. Explicit standardized protocols that address the frequency of assessments and interventions along with therapeutic targets are recommended for collaborative practice guidelines.

[Measuring pulse oximetry at the patient's bedside]. / Mesurer l'oxymétrie de pouls au lit du malade.

Pulse oximetry, or oxygen saturation, reflects the quantity of oxygen fixed to the haemoglobin. It is commonly measured in a non invasive way, with the aid of a digital sensor oximeter. The results can be distorted by a number of parameters, it is therefore necessary to eliminate the risk of errors and to check the results against clinical data.

Detecting ischemic danger at the source.

Using near-infrared spectroscopy, the INVOS (In-Vivo Optical Spectroscopy) System provides real-time, site-specific cerebral/somatic measurements of de-oxygenated and oxygenated hemoglobin molecules within red blood cells through a noninvasive oximeter. Perioperative professionals can use the vital sign information monitored by this technology to detect and correct site-specific blood oxygenation issues that can lead to complications and poor outcomes. AORN J 90 (September 2009) 431-433. (c) AORN, Inc, 2009.

Emergency oxygen delivery in adults 1: updating nursing practice.

The first in this two-part unit discusses new British Thoracic Society guidance on using emergency oxygen in adults. This is the first national guidance on this area and the implications for possible changes to practice are highlighted here. This part outlines the philosophy behind the guideline, the differences between hypoxaemic and hypercapnic patients and essential assessments for critically ill patients who need emergency oxygen. It also discusses using this therapy for patients with lung cancer in acute situations.

Pulse oximetry index: a simple arterial assessment for patients with venous disease.

OBJECTIVE: To provide additional safety data comparing ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) and pulse oximetry (Lanarkshire Oximetry Index, LOI) as measures of arterial circulation in patients with venous disease of the leg. METHOD: A total of 107 (195 legs) attending hospital leg ulcer clinics participated in this prospective open study. We attempted to measure brachial and foot arterial pressures in all patients using both the handheld Doppler method (ABPI) and pulse oximeter method (LOI). Features of patients with limbs in which either the ABPI or LOI could not be assessed were documented. ABPI and LOI values were compared, and agreement between the two assessment methods was assessed. RESULTS: We found the LOI measurement to be a simpler technique than Doppler ABPI measurement, with an endpoint less prone to the subjective variability associated with the Doppler method. Of the 195 legs assessed,we obtained LOI in 10 in which an ABPI could not be recorded. LOI could not be recorded in only one leg. There was a linear association (p<0.001) and fair agreement (kappa=0.303) between LOI and ABPI in the 184 legs in which both ratios could be measured. There was no evident tendency for LOI to read either low or high compared with ABPI. CONCLUSION: Pulse oximetry LOI is a simple alternative to Doppler ABPI in the screening of patients for arterial disease that could be a contraindication to, or require modification of, compression therapy. It can be measured in some legs that cannot be assessed by Doppler ultrasound.

Pathophysiology of anemia and nursing care implications.

Anemia is a decrease in erythrocyte mass or amount of hemoglobin from impaired production of erythrocytes, blood loss, or increased erythocyte destruction. The pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and selected pathologies of anemia and their implications for nursing practice are reviewed.

Validation of oxygen saturation monitoring in neonates.

BACKGROUND: Pulse oximetry is commonly used to monitor oxygenation in neonates, but cannot detect variations in hemoglobin. Venous and arterial oxygen saturations are rarely monitored. Few data are available to validate measurements of oxygen saturation in neonates (venous, arterial, or pulse oximetric). Purpose To validate oxygen saturation displayed on clinical monitors against analyses (with correction for fetal hemoglobin) of blood samples from neonates and to present the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve for neonates. METHOD: Seventy-eight neonates, 25 to 38 weeks' gestational age, had 660 arterial and 111 venous blood samples collected for analysis. RESULTS: The mean difference between oxygen saturation and oxyhemoglobin level was 3% (SD 1.0) in arterial blood and 3% (SD 1.1) in venous blood. The mean difference between arterial oxygen saturation displayed on the monitor and oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples was 2% (SD 2.0); between venous oxygen saturation displayed on the monitor and oxyhemoglobin in venous blood samples it was 3% (SD 2.1) and between oxygen saturation as determined by pulse oximetry and oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples it was 2.5% (SD 3.1). At a Pao(2) of 50 to 75 mm Hg on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples was from 92% to 95%; oxygen saturation was from 95% to 98% in arterial blood samples, from 94% to 97% on the monitor, and from 95% to 97% according to pulse oximetry. CONCLUSIONS: The safety limits for pulse oximeters are higher and narrower in neonates (95%-97%) than in adults, and clinical guidelines for neonates may require modification.

Does fingernail polish affect pulse oximeter readings?

INTRODUCTION: Results from previous studies evaluating the effect of nail polish on oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) determined by pulse oximeter monitors are inconsistent. Establishing the effect of nail polish on SpO(2) is relevant to clinical practice, since removing nail polish requires clinical time and supplies. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine if fingernail polish affects SpO(2) as measured by two different pulse oximeter machines. METHODS: Absorption spectra of 10 nail polish colors were obtained by spectrophotometry. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers with SpO(2)> or =95% participated. Using the Nellcor N20 and N595 pulse oximeters, the mean SpO(2) was measured on each of 10 nails with and without nail polish and using a side-to-side configuration. Means were compared using paired t-tests. RESULTS: Mean SpO(2) had a statistically significant decrease with brown and blue nail polish using both machines (p<0.05) but this was not clinically significant (<1% difference). Using the side-to-side configuration, the N595 oximeter had a statistically significant decrease in mean SpO(2) with red nail polish but again this was not clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Fingernail polish does not cause a clinically significant change in pulse oximeter readings in healthy people.

Pulse oximetry knowledge and its effects on clinical practice.

AIM: to explore literature pertaining to registered nurses' and/or doctors' knowledge in relation to the pulse oximetry in clinical practice. BACKGROUND: pulse oximeters provide non-invasive readings of both pulse rate and peripheral oxygen saturation, leading to quick identification of potential/actual problems. Because of this, clinicians, like nurses, may become too dependent on it, neglecting other aspects of the holistic assessment process. METHODS: a literature search was carried out between 1980 and 2006, with much of the data skewed towards 1994-2006. As the central focus was to be on pulse oximetry knowledge of nurses and/or doctors, articles included had to contain a central theme addressing this. Other criteria for inclusion were links between pulse oximetry and knowledge in clinical practice, nurses and/or doctors as participants in studies addressing this, as well as the clinical competency in relation to the device. CONCLUSION: improving knowledge may not necessarily be the answer in improving clinical competency. Future research will need to be carried out to measure the connection between knowledge and competency and to use that as a basis for education and training.

Detecting changes in the respiratory status of ward patients.

This article outlines the principles of respiratory assessment. It is intended to be a learning tool for all nurses, however, it may have more relevance for nurses on general wards. Such nurses, unlike those who work in intensive care units and accident and emergency (A&E) departments, do not have the advantage of frequent presence of medical staff and may have to intervene promptly and autonomously in response to detected changes.

Respiratory assessment in adults.

Respiratory disorders are among the most common reasons for admission to critical care units in the U.K. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that nursing assessment of patients' respiratory function is not performed well because it is not considered a priority and the implications of respiratory dysfunction are underestimated. It is essential that nurses are able to recognise and assess symptoms. of respiratory dysfunction to provide early, effective and appropriate interventions, thus improving patient outcomes. This article highlights the role of the nurse in respiratory assessment and discusses the implications of clinical findings.