The patient was found in an alley on a cold winter night and is admitted with hypothermia from environmental exposure.She is elderly and is having difficulty breathing.Her breath sounds are diminished,and the tip of her nose is cyanotic.The nurse wants to assess the oxygen level in the patient's blood.She decides to use the pulse oximeter.The best way to apply this to this patient would be:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In adults,you can apply reusable and disposable oximeter probes to the earlobe,finger,toe,bridge of the nose,or forehead.For patients with decreased peripheral perfusion,you can apply a forehead reflectance sensor. Peripheral vasoconstriction related to hypothermia can interfere with SpO₂ determination. Finger and earlobe sensors require a pulsating vascular bed to identify hemoglobin molecules that absorb emitted light.Forehead sensor detects saturation in low perfusion conditions.

The Patient Was Found in an Alley on a Cold