Standard intraoperative monitoring parameters (pulse oximetry, capnography, EKG) and alarm troubleshooting tested on the Cer.A.T. certification exam.
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- What does pulse oximetry measure?
- Functional oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood (SpO2)
- What is the normal SpO2 range on room air?
- 95-100%
- What physical principle allows a pulse oximeter to calculate SpO2?
- Differential absorption of light at two wavelengths by oxygenated vs deoxygenated hemoglobin
- What two light wavelengths does a standard pulse oximeter probe use?
- Red (about 660 nm) and infrared (about 940 nm)
- Pulse oximetry's light absorption calculation is based on which law?
- The Beer-Lambert law
- How can dark nail polish affect a pulse oximeter reading?
- It can cause a falsely low SpO2 reading
- How does carbon monoxide poisoning affect a pulse oximeter reading?
- It causes a falsely elevated SpO2 reading, because carboxyhemoglobin is misread as oxyhemoglobin
- How does methemoglobinemia affect a pulse oximeter reading?
- SpO2 trends toward approximately 85% regardless of the patient's true oxygen saturation
- How does patient motion typically affect a pulse oximeter reading?
- It causes artifact and an unreliable or inaccurate reading
- How does poor peripheral perfusion affect the pulse oximeter signal?
- It produces a weak, absent, or dampened waveform and unreliable reading
- In ____, the displayed SpO2 value lags slightly behind the patient's actual real-time oxygenation change.
- pulse oximetry
- Why should a pulse oximeter probe site be rotated periodically?
- To prevent pressure injury or skin necrosis at the site
- What does capnography measure?
- The concentration of carbon dioxide in exhaled breath
- What is the difference between a capnometer and a capnograph?
- A capnometer gives only a numeric CO2 value; a capnograph also displays the CO2 waveform
- What is the normal end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) range?
- 35-45 mmHg