Ontario Paramedic Practice Exam

What vital sign is commonly monitored using a pulse oximeter?

1. Heart rate

2. Respiratory rate

3. Oxygen saturation

4. Blood pressure

The correct answer is: Oxygen saturation

A pulse oximeter is a non-invasive device specifically designed to measure the oxygen saturation level in a patient's blood. This vital sign is critically important because it reflects how effectively oxygen is being transported from the lungs to the bloodstream and then to the body's tissues. Monitoring oxygen saturation helps in assessing a patient's respiratory function, particularly in cases of respiratory distress, hypoxia, or other conditions where oxygen delivery may be compromised. While a pulse oximeter may provide some ancillary information such as heart rate, its primary function is to give an accurate reading of oxygen saturation levels. This makes it an essential tool in emergency medical situations and for ongoing monitoring in clinical settings. Other vital signs, such as respiratory rate or blood pressure, require different methods for measurement and are not the primary purpose of the pulse oximeter.