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Does fingernail polish affect pulse oximeter readings?

Ann M Rodden1, Leigh Spicer, Vanessa A Diaz

  • 1Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Family Medicine, 295 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. rodden@musc.edu

Intensive & Critical Care Nursing
|October 27, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Nail polish color does not significantly impact pulse oximeter readings for oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) in healthy individuals. This finding is crucial for clinical practice, as it negates the need to remove polish before SpO(2) measurement.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Devices
  • Clinical Measurement
  • Oximetry

Background:

  • Inconsistent results exist regarding nail polish effects on pulse oximeter readings.
  • Nail polish removal consumes clinical time and resources.
  • Accurate oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) measurement is vital in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of fingernail polish on SpO(2) measurements.
  • To compare SpO(2) readings using two different pulse oximeter devices.
  • To determine clinical significance of observed changes.

Main Methods:

  • Spectrophotometry analyzed 10 nail polish colors.
  • 27 healthy volunteers with SpO(2) ≥ 95% participated.
  • SpO(2) was measured with and without polish on Nellcor N20 and N595 pulse oximeters.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Brown and blue polish showed statistically significant SpO(2) decreases with both machines, but <1% difference.
  • Red polish with the N595 oximeter in a side-to-side configuration also yielded a statistically significant, but not clinically significant, SpO(2) decrease.

Conclusions:

  • Fingernail polish does not produce clinically significant alterations in pulse oximeter readings.
  • Current evidence suggests polish color does not impede accurate SpO(2) assessment in healthy subjects.
  • Clinical protocols do not require nail polish removal for SpO(2) monitoring.