learned on accident. It's a good and helpful list, but not one that I
have the time and/or energy to post yet.
But today, I learned something new on accident. So here's point #1 on
the new list I am creating...
When you are trying to get a spo2 on a patient you have been coding,
MAKE SURE THERE IS NOT A TOURNIQUET ON THE ARM YOU ARE TRYING TO GET
AN SPO2 FROM
The er nurse looked at me like I was a f***ing idiot. And she's right.
Duh!
5 comments:
Hey there,
Came across your blog yesterday when surfing some other RT blogs.
Don't feel so bad. I tried to check sats on a patient in the same arm I was taking their blood pressure in. As the cuff continued to inflate, it was like, "95...90...80...75...BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP." Although I did this just after earning my CNA certification, they did teach us not to do that in class. lol
Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and I was in medic school the #1 reason people failed the IV station was that the forgot to release the tourniquet after starting the IV.
I don't know if that makes you feel any better, but stuff like that is common.
I loved this post! This happens to me on a daily basis being a new nurse! I FREAKED OUT the first I took a non-invasive blood pressure on the same hand that the pulse ox was on. Can't wait to hear more!
Did you put the tourniquet on the arm?
If not, it is an easy mistake to make.
Did you recognize that the tourniquet was there, rather than start bagging the patient?
Lots of things can interfere with any assessment. You just go back and reassess in a different way until you figure out what the problem was (as long as the patient is stable).
I would NEVER do anything like that er.....also remember to take the b/p cuff off the arm that the resident is trying so very hard to get an aline in.
*blush!*
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