Just looking for some feedback from people that use oximeters on a regular basis.
The one we use at work is pretty reliable, but occasionally won't get a reading from someone. I've heard from some folks that this can happen if there is too much dirt on their fingers, or if it's cold out, or the person's fingers are too cold. Can anyone confirm if this is accurate?
I'm also curious if anyone has experience using different brands. Is there any difference between them? I know most are rated to a 2% variance, there doesn't seem to be an obvious difference between the brands other than aesthetics. Looking to pick up a few more, any feedback would be appreciated.
I heard that it is not a good idea to rely on it if CO is involved because it does show high % O2 levels in the blood because the CO is bind to Hb. right ?
Great feedback, thanks all.
@ Becky: Durable is good. That one you listed has quite a price point difference compared to most of the typical home use ones marketed. Getting readings from folks with extremely dirty or cold fingers has been our biggest issue, I'm wondering how this one performs with those conditions? I'm now super curious as to what brands other people are using. I'll be checking in with some of our local folks to see.
@ Sally Kupp : Great point, we always remind staff to assess the situation and respond accordingly, ie check for breathing, coloration etc. We've only recently added pulse oximeters to our kit, I think most people at our site make a decision and respond before even reaching for the oximeter.
One side benefit we've found to using the oximeter is that it's been helpful to have as a metric to tell people afterwards why we administered naloxone and gave them emergency breaths, especially those that are grumpy that we intervened. They seem to understand why the intervention happened and are more accepting of it once this has been explained to them.
We've tried a couple at the OPSes and found that this is the best one: https://stethoscope.ca/diagnostix-2100-digital-fingertip-pulse-oximeter.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAlvnfBRA1EiwAVOEgfM6R096RuSc4DarySdi0RZ8aJklxK08swEHS8RNV-17DPqBmq4dKxoCJ24QAvD_BwE
They are pretty reliable and don't break as easily as the others.
Thanks for writing about this Keith, and for your response Tom! I agree that finger temperature, changes in peripheral circulation from an overdose (decreased oxygenation), dirt, and polish can all affect a reading.
A good way to confirm if a oxygen percent (SpO2 %) is accurate is to check the radial/wrist or carotid/side of throat pulse and count to see if this pulse matches that of the reading for HR on the oximeter. Sometimes because of the above factors a SpO2 reading will be much lower than what it actually is. Always remember to assess the person and their symptoms first and foremost before trusting a machine. For example, if someone is barely breathing and their lips and/or fingertips are blue then their oxygen saturation is likely below 75% and they need breathing support.
Pulse Oximeters are a useful tool, Many factors can inhibit the pulse oximeter from getting an accurate reading. Yes, Hand/finger temperature, cleanliness, nail polish, circulation, medical shock, chronic medical problems etc... these and more can play a roll in getting an accurate reading.
Generally they all use the same algorithm and should all be equal.