Pulse Oximeter Aids Japan Disaster
The United States was first in line to offer its help. One device that people might not think about first during a disaster, a pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter, also known as a pulse ox by some medical professionals, is a medical device used to measure the blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate of an individual. Why is this important? In the recent events in Japan, the air people are breathing can be dangerous since it is full of dirt and debris. For this reason, it is important to constantly check how efficient the lungs are working, and this is done with the use of a pulse oximeter. The Japanese government has handed out thousands of finger pulse oximeters to its community centers to be handed out amongst survivors. On site doctors are also using a pulse oximeter on patients for both oxygen saturation and their pulse rates. A finger pulse oximeter runs on standard batteries, which makes it easier to all over the world for replacement.
As the clock ticks for rescuers to find more survivors, they are relying on various tools to help them for both the search process and to treat them after the search. These tools must be mobile, yet also dispensable if necessary. A pulse oximeter has proven its need and use again and again in the past few days as conditions worsen due to radiation and as winter weather approaches.