Pulse oximeters are important devices for monitoring heart rates and oxygen saturation in patients, especially those with chronic lung or heart conditions.
Attaching easily onto the patient’s fingertip, pulse oximeters are ideal for taking a non-invasive, simple and completely pain-free measurement of oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (SpO2) and pulse rate. By rapidly detecting changes in oxygen saturation, pulse oximetry can identify patient breathing problems early and help people can get the treatment and support they need more quickly.
For optimal diagnosis, the pros and cons of different pulse oximeters should be considered.
What patients can benefit from pulse oximetry?
Fingertip pulse oximeters are often used to assess the health of people with the following conditions:
- Asthma
- Anaemia
- Lung cancer
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart disease
- Those in need of oxygen therapy
- Other chronic heart or lung conditions
How to ensure accurate pulse oximetry readings
Whether your patient is using your oximeter in your practice or at home, it is important they are aware of the factors that can affect accuracy.
According to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), these include:
- Low perfusion
- Movement
- Nail polish
- Fake nails
- Henna dye
- Tattoos
- Probe mispositioning
- Ambient lighting hitting the sensor
What are the essential qualities of a good pulse oximeter?
Pulse oximeters used in healthcare settings should be dependable, safe, accurate, robust, portable, and simple to use. It is mandatory that pulse oximeters intended for clinical use are regulated as medical devices and display a valid CE, CE UKNI or UKCA mark.
Although many pulse oximeters are small, lightweight and therefore suitable for children, there are pulse oximeters designed specifically for paediatric patients. The Biolight M70A is ideal for measuring blood oxygen levels and pulse rate in children, due to its compact and child-friendly design.
What are the essential qualities of a good pulse oximeter?
Pulse oximeters used in healthcare settings should be dependable, safe, accurate, robust, portable, and simple to use. It is mandatory that pulse oximeters intended for clinical use are regulated as medical devices and display a valid CE, CE UKNI or UKCA mark.
Although many pulse oximeters are small, lightweight and therefore suitable for children, there are pulse oximeters designed specifically for paediatric patients. The Biolight M70A is ideal for measuring blood oxygen levels and pulse rate in children, due to its compact and child-friendly design.
Finding the best pulse oximeters for your medical practice
There are many digital BPM devices on the market, each with their own advantages. Here are Henry Schein Medical’s three top recommendations, from entry level digital oximeters to premium quality devices.
Good
HS Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
- Suitable for adults, paediatrics, and adolescents.
- Featuring a dual-colour OLED display with adjustable brightness and a 'Battery Low' indicator, to ensure optimal visibility in any setting.
- Measures parameters including SpO2, pulse rate (PR), perfusion index (PI), and provides a visual representation in the form of a waveform and pulse bar.
- Delivers precise measurements, accurate readings and reliable results.
- User-friendly features include adjustable brightness for personalised use and automatic power switch-off after 8 seconds to conserve battery life.
- Lightweight and compact.
- Accessories, multilingual manual and battery pack included.
Good
HS Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
- Suitable for adults, paediatrics, and adolescents.
- Featuring a dual-colour OLED display with adjustable brightness and a 'Battery Low' indicator, to ensure optimal visibility in any setting.
- Measures parameters including SpO2, pulse rate (PR), perfusion index (PI), and provides a visual representation in the form of a waveform and pulse bar.
- Delivers precise measurements, accurate readings and reliable results.
- User-friendly features include adjustable brightness for personalised use and automatic power switch-off after 8 seconds to conserve battery life.
- Lightweight and compact.
- Accessories, multilingual manual and battery pack included.
Better
OXY 300 Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
- Portable, non-invasive device intended for spot-checking the oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (SpO2) and pulse rate of adults and paediatric patients.
- Suitable for private use (at home or on the go), as well as for use in the medical sector.
- Simple and completely pain-free measurement.
- Display with 6 available views.
- Adjustable display brightness.
- Automatic switch off
Better
OXY 300 Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
- Portable, non-invasive device intended for spot-checking the oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (SpO2) and pulse rate of adults and paediatric patients.
- Suitable for private use (at home or on the go), as well as for use in the medical sector.
- Simple and completely pain-free measurement.
- Display with 6 available views.
- Adjustable display brightness.
- Automatic switch off
Best
Nonin 9550 Onyx II Finger Pulse Oximeter
- Small, lightweight, portable fingertip pulse oximeter.
- For measuring and displaying functional oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (% SpO2) and pulse rate of patients who are well or poorly perfused.
- Intended for spot-checking of adult and paediatric patients on fingers (other than the thumb) that are 0.3-1.0" (0.8-2.5cm) thick.
- Intended for use in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, emergency medical services, and home healthcare services.
- Large LED display allowing measurements to be read from any angle, day or night.
Best
Nonin 9550 Onyx II Finger Pulse Oximeter
- Small, lightweight, portable fingertip pulse oximeter.
- For measuring and displaying functional oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (% SpO2) and pulse rate of patients who are well or poorly perfused.
- Intended for spot-checking of adult and paediatric patients on fingers (other than the thumb) that are 0.3-1.0" (0.8-2.5cm) thick.
- Intended for use in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, emergency medical services, and home healthcare services.
- Large LED display allowing measurements to be read from any angle, day or night.
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