The Advantages of Pulse Oximetry Monitoring

Pulse oximetry has the advantage of being a noninvasive continuous monitor that can actually tell you a bit about lung function, explains Jamie M. Burkitt, DVM, DACVECC, assistant professor of clinical surgical and radiological sciences at the University of California, Davis. Another cool thing about pulse oximetry is that it provides an audible pulse rate, she adds. Even if you’re just listening, you can still hear the basics of the heart rate.

Additionally, if you have poor profusion or poor blood flow, you aren’t going to get a pulse oximetry reading, which provides supplementary insight into how a patient might be progressing.