Over 6 weeks we’ve been looking #InsideOut the primary vitals signs thanks to @Nurse_Robbie! For the final week in #TheVital6 : Blood Glucose
Measuring glucose is not always a standard part of measuring vital signs, but it is important during triage, admission, pre & post-operatively, with the relevant symptoms or for ongoing diabetes management. Glucose is an essential component for healthy cell-functioning, but too much or too little can have devastating effects. The level of glucose in our blood is measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L) & should range between 4.0-7.8mmol/L (per Diabetes Australia). We measure this with a standard finger-prick test where a drop of peripheral blood is taken from the finger & measured with a glucometer.
Q: What factors will influence a high blood glucose reading, for both patients with and without diabetes?
With week 5 here, we’re looking #InsideOut the primary vital signs thanks to @nurse_robbie. This week in #TheVital6 : Sp02
Another excellent indicator of respiratory health is measuring our pulse oximetry, aka Sp02. When we breathe in oxygen, it binds to haemoglobin in our red blood cells & is carried around our body; Sp02 will indicate if we have adequate levels of oxygenated blood in our arteries (known as Sa02). To measure the Sp02 we use a pulse oximeter, a small probe placed on the finger, which emits light wavelengths. These wavelengths are absorbed by our saturated and desaturated haemoglobin and allow the oximeter to measure the percentage of oxygen-saturated haemoglobin in our blood. An average Sp02 reading should be between 95-100%, however this can vary for individuals with respiratory conditions.
Q: What are some reasons a pulse oximeter might not take an accurate reading?
