Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 13 MAS 315 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Pulse Oximetry
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The idea
Pulse oximetry estimates how saturated the blood's hemoglobin is with oxygen, shown as a percentage.
In practice
A small probe, usually clipped on a fingertip, shines light through the skin and reports the oxygen saturation along with the pulse rate.
Where people slip
It is an estimate. A reading that does not match how the patient looks is reported, not trusted blindly.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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