Using Satseconds; Overview - Nellcor OxiMax N-600X Operator's Manual

U s i n g S a t S e c o n d s

Overview

N-600x Operator's Manual
With traditional alarm management, upper and lower alarm limits are
set for monitoring oxygen saturation. During monitoring, as soon as
an alarm limit is violated by as little as one percentage point, an
audible alarm immediately sounds. When the %SpO
near an alarm limit, the alarm sounds each time the limit is violated.
Such frequent alarms can be distracting.
The N-600x pulse oximeter utilizes Nellcor SatSeconds alarm
management technique. With the SatSeconds technique, upper and
lower alarm limits are set in the same way as with traditional alarm
management. The clinician also sets a SatSeconds limit that allows
the monitoring of %SpO
period of time before an audible alarm sounds.
The SatSeconds limit controls the time that the %SpO
outside the alarm before an audible alarm sounds.
The method of calculation is as follows:
The number of percentage points that the %SpO
alarm limit is multiplied by the number of seconds that the %SpO
level remains outside that limit. This can be stated as an equation:
Points x Seconds = SatSeconds
Where:
Points = %SpO percentage points outside of the limit
2
Seconds = number of seconds the %SpO
outside of the limit
below the selected low alarm limit for a
2
2
remains at that point
2

Using SatSeconds

level fluctuates
2
level may fall
2
falls outside of the
2
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