RN Nursing · Newborn Assessment · Practice question
A nurse is reinforcing discharge teaching with the parents of an infant who has a prescription for home oxygen and pulse oximetry monitoring. Which of the following statements by the parents indicates a need for further teaching?
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"The probe of the pulse oximeter can be applied to a finger or a toe."
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✓
"We will rotate the probe of the pulse oximeter every 24 hours."
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"We will notify the doctor if the pulse oximeter consistently reads 100%."
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"The pulse oximeter might not be accurate during times of excessive movement."
Answer & explanation
Correct: "We will rotate the probe of the pulse oximeter every 24 hours."
Pulse oximeter probes generate heat and light energy at the skin contact site, which can cause pressure injury or thermal burns in neonates and infants who have delicate, thin skin. The standard of care is to rotate the probe site every 8 hours, not every 24 hours. Stating that rotation occurs every 24 hours indicates a misunderstanding that requires further teaching, because leaving a probe in place that long significantly increases the risk of skin breakdown and burn injury. The statement that the probe can be applied to a finger or a toe is accurate; peripheral sites are both acceptable for infants. The statement that a consistent reading of 100% warrants notification is clinically sound because hyperoxia can cause retinopathy of prematurity and other oxygen-toxicity complications in infants, and the provider should be informed to adjust oxygen delivery. The statement that movement can affect accuracy is also correct; motion artifact is a well-recognized limitation of pulse oximetry. Therefore, the response about rotating the probe only every 24 hours is the one that demonstrates a need for further teaching, confirming the keyed answer.
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