Pulse oximetry for an adult with a pulmonary disorder

Pulse oximetry monitoring was used with this patient to correlate his oxygen saturation with his functional activity. The primary focus was to monitor the patient's oxygenation while he was engaging in routine activities of daily living. A secondary focus was to make changes or adaptations in the activity when his oxygen saturation values fell below the accepted level of 90%. The benefits of pulse oximetry include the simultaneous reporting of oxygen saturation and heart rate during the patient's activities. Immediate instruction on how to adapt functional activities to conserve energy was given to the patient on the basis of the oximeter readings. For both patient and therapist, the pulse oximeter was a relatively uncomplicated tool to use, and the information that it provided was useful in monitoring occupational therapy intervention during functional activity. Further research studies may support criteria for energy conservation protocols and activity prescription.