The nurse is caring for a patient who was just pulled from a freezing lake.The patient's pulse oximetry reads 68% although the patient is not in respiratory distress.What is the correct interpretation of these assessment findings?

A) The pulse oximeter will not give an accurate reading until the patient's extremities have warmed to near normal temperature.
B) The pulse oximeter adhesive was left on too long and no longer stuck to the patient's finger adequately.
C) The pulse oximeter became overheated when it was placed underneath the patient's warming blanket.
D) The pulse oximeter displayed a falsely low reading because the patient was receiving supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula.

Question

Celeste Carrillo · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : A, Explanation :  Pulse oximeters will not give accurate readings unless the patient's extremities are within normal temperature ranges.The patient was just pulled from the freezing lake so the pulse oximeter adhesive would not have been left on too long.Supplemental oxygen administration will not falsely lower pulse oximeter readings.Placing the pulse oximeter underneath the warming blanket would not cause it to overheat.

Definitions

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Related questions