SICU--desaturation

ICU is a highly stressful area, where all the most critically ill patients are there for intensive treatment and care.

To talk Something about oxygen saturation--SpO2.

I remember one day when i finished pricking my poor patient's finger for his hourly blood glucose monitoring, the physiology monitor alarmed, to my horror, i saw it popped out 'low SpO2' of the patient, what?!!!! then to my another horror, i saw 70+ SpO2, immediately, i knocked the glass to notify my RN. Then she came in and said, maybe it was due to the pain and distress that i caused to pt during the pricking.

Well, after that, the monitor immediately stopped alarming and again i wondered how did the 70+ Spo2 picked up so fast to normal range? Looked carefully first..

Phewwhh......the foolish me saw wrongly, the 70+ was the Heart Rate!!!

At times, i find myself quite lost, be it in the knowledge of critical care or the real hands-on of care to my patients.

Ya, i have to work hard and always slap myself for reminder to be more alert during working. Hands that heal can also kill. Choiiiii!