Reduction of Risk PotentialQuestion 1570 of 2368
A client's hands are cold, and the pulse oximeter reading is unreliable. Which action should the nurse take?
- Warm the room and apply the clip tighter to the client's finger
- Clip the sensor to the earlobe or tape it to the forehead
- Place the sensor on the client's wrist and wait for a reading
- Document that the SpO2 cannot be measured and take no other action
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Correct answer: Clip the sensor to the earlobe or tape it to the forehead
Cold hands can affect the reading, so a different site such as the earlobe or forehead is used.
Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), General Survey: TECHNIQUE. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Reduction of Risk Potential"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026