question about pulseox meters

[fao110]

why have they took the pulseox meters away the emts in ind.
what is the latest on this?

[MFDFF9704]

They are still carried around here, so it's news to me.

[CrossFire3]

Here is the text from the state - this should clear up any confusion. I did not post the name or contact information from the state that this came from, but if you want it, PM me.

At the Indiana EMS Commission meeting held on Friday, November 18, 2005, a Staff Study was presented to the Commission regarding Pulse Oximetry Use by BLS Personnel. The Commission accepted the recommendation that the use of Pulse Oximetry devices by BLS personnel is not within the scope of practice at the BLS level and therefore a violation of Title 836 IAC. The devices should not be a piece of equipment used by BLS level certified personnel and should not be a piece of equipment on BLS ambulances and other BLS type vehicles.

836 IAC does not allow certified BLS personnel to perform skills that are not within the scope of practice for basic life support. BLS personnel are not trained in the physiology and function of pulse oximetry devices and therefore do not understand that ambient lighting, nail polish, skin cream, motion and low perfusion can cause inaccurate readings. Reliance on pulse oximetry device readings to determine patient care can result in inappropriate care and cause harm to the patient.

All EMS certified personnel are trained to evaluate and assess a patient through the Primary and Secondary Survey, per the approved curriculum. Relying on any device instead of assessing a patient could lead to improper patient assessment and care.

The reason for this staff study comes from a discussion at the Medical Director Seminar held earlier this year. A question was asked regarding pulse oximeter use by BLS personnel and the response was that it is a vendor driven device, is not in the scope of practice at the BLS level and should not be used by EMT’s and First Responders. There was no opposition to the discussion that pulse oximetery is not a BLS skill by any medical director in attendance at the medical director seminar.

Therefore, BLS ambulance service providers and BLS Non-transport providers should remove pulse oximeters from those vehicles immediately.