Patient Preparation - Escort Prism 20401 Reference Manual

Patient Preparation

When doing any patient monitoring, proper skin prep and electrode placement are critical to
ensuring patient safety as well as accurate ECG, heart rate, and respiration readings. Follow the
steps and diagrams below carefully:
1. Shave areas where electrodes are to be applied if hair is present.
2. For adult patients, rub electrode location briskly with dry gauze until skin is pink. If alcohol
is used to prepare the electrode site, wait until it has completely evaporated before applying
electrodes.
3. Attach lead wires to electrodes before applying the electrodes to patient's skin.
4. Apply electrodes to the patient's skin, pressing firmly around entire edge of the adhesive
surface.
5. To help maintain stable ECG baseline, tape each electrode lead wire to skin.
6. When possible, locate positive and negative ECG electrodes at equal distances from
electrosurgical sites.
7. Check that electrodes are placed in proper locations. See the following diagrams:
Adult Electrode Placement
3-2