Pulse Ox to the ear?

[EMS49393]

They very consitently contradict my assessments, and rarely work consitently. Like the monitor BP cuff (I once got a bp from fire of 199/196...and he was very concerned!)...I can't really imagine using them to draw any conclusions...support them perhaps, but not draw them.

We have those electronic BP cuffs on our monitors as well. I never use them. They are generally far from accurate, and if you're rolling down the road, they either time out for motion or give you a reading such as the one you stated above. I have two perfectly good ears, a perfectly good littman, and a perfectly good wall mounted BP cuff in my ambulance. Hearing is believing, especially when I'm engaged in the act of administering NTG, or an inotrope.

For as much as I love the technology of being able to get a diagnostic 12/15 lead ECG and capnography, I equally hate the pulse ox and electronic blood pressure cuffs.