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AASU's
Respiratory Therapy Program Receives Donation of Pulse Oximeter
SAVANNAH, GA—September
16, 2003—Armstrong Atlantic State University's Department of Respiratory
Therapy has received a donation of a pulse oximeter and other educational
resources from Nellcor, a business unit of Tyco Healthcare. The donation
was given in partnership with American Respiratory Care Foundation.
Pulse oximetry is a simple non-invasive method of monitoring the level
of oxygen that is present in the blood. This is important for maintaining
normal oxygen levels that are needed for proper breathing. A probe wraps
around a finger or toe without any discomfort to the patient and, within
a matter of seconds, displays a number indicating the level of oxygen.
"This is a fairly expensive piece of equipment, particularly in
the current environment of decreasing funding from the state for equipment,"
said Ross Bowers, head of AASU's Department of Respiratory
Therapy. "Support from vendors and the community is greatly appreciated."
Bowers explained that this equipment, commonly found in critical care
settings, will enable professors to simulate emergency situation that
students are going to encounter in the hospitals. The device allows
medical professionals to quickly assess whether a patient needs oxygen
therapy before a serious condition sets in due to a lack of oxygen.
"The beauty
of pulse oximetery is that is can be done quickly with an immediate
assessment of oxygen levels, and is not invasive," said Bowers.
"The technology also makes it possible to continuously monitor
patients who are in critical situations."
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