Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

Which piece of equipment would be used to check an oxygen level on a patient with COPD?

1. Nasal cannula

2. Pulse oximeter

3. CXR

4. Respirator

The correct answer is: Pulse oximeter

The pulse oximeter is the appropriate equipment used to check an oxygen level on a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This device measures the oxygen saturation level in the blood, indicated as a percentage. It is a non-invasive tool that provides immediate readings, allowing healthcare providers to assess how well a patient's lungs are functioning and how effectively they are delivering oxygen to the bloodstream. In managing COPD, monitoring oxygen levels is critical since patients with this condition often have impaired gas exchange. The pulse oximeter helps determine whether supplemental oxygen or other interventions are needed to improve oxygenation. Other options, while they serve important functions in respiratory care, are not specifically designed for measuring oxygen saturation. A nasal cannula is used for delivering supplemental oxygen but does not measure oxygen levels itself. A chest X-ray (CXR) is a diagnostic imaging tool used to assess lung conditions and structural abnormalities but does not provide real-time oxygen saturation. A respirator, typically a mechanical ventilator, is used to assist or replace spontaneous breathing in patients who are unable to breathe adequately but is not a tool for directly measuring oxygen saturation levels.