Reduction of Risk PotentialQuestion 1666 of 2368
A client has cold fingertips, and the pulse oximeter reading is lower than expected. What should the nurse do first?
- Increase the oxygen flow rate until the saturation reading improves
- Warm the client's fingers with a warm blanket, then reapply the probe
- Remove the oximeter and record the reading as zero in the client's chart
- Place the probe on a different cold finger without warming it first
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Correct answer: Warm the client's fingers with a warm blanket, then reapply the probe
Cool or cold fingers can give a misleading reading. Warming them gives a more accurate reading.
Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Oxygen Therapy: Pulse Oximeter. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Reduction of Risk Potential"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026