Use of a Pulse Oximeter in an Adult Emergency Department

a comparison with the same period in 1992 without the oximeter. Setting: An adult medical ED of a university hospital in France. Patients: All patients who underwent ABG or Sp02 measurements. Interventions: During the prospective study, residents ordered ABG or Sp02 measurements at their discretion. The reasons for their ordering were reviewed by two independent experts who determined whether their choice was justified. The data were compared with those for 184 consecutive patients who had ABG measurements in 1992. Measurements and results: The study included 152 patients. Sp02 alone was used in 33 patients; ABG levels were measured in 119 patients. The use of Sp<32 did not result in the ordering of fewer useful ABG determinations. One hundred and five (88%) ABG measurements were justified. There were fewer unjustified ABG determinations in 1993 when the pulse oximeter was available than in 1992 when it was not (14 of 119 vs 54 of 184; p< 0.001) mainly because fewer ABG determinations were ordered for miscellaneous nonrespiratory indications (13 of 119 vs 43 of 184; p<0.01). Conclusion: The availability of a pulse oximeter did not affect the ordering of useful ABG measurements but allowed a significant reduction of unjustified ABG measurements. Substantial