BACKGROUND, SIGNIFICANCE, AND RATIONALE Pulse oximetry is used in both inpatient and outpatient environments to measure the oxygen saturation in a person's blood and the pulse, or heart rate. Pulse oximeters use a painless Band-Aid-like probe that attaches to a fingertip, toe, hand or foot and shines a light through the skin. The monitor then determines how much oxygen is in the blood and the pulse rate based on the way the light passes through the skin. The probe is connected to the monitor by a cable of varying lengths. Movement can cause incorrect pulse oximeter measurements.