What should a nurse monitor continuously while treating carbon monoxide poisoning?

Monitoring pulse oximetry continuously while treating carbon monoxide poisoning is vital because it allows for real-time assessment of oxygen levels in the patient’s blood. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin much more readily than oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin, which impairs the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Traditional pulse oximeters may give a falsely reassuring reading in cases of carbon monoxide exposure since they cannot differentiate between oxygenated hemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin. Therefore, continuous monitoring provides critical information on the effectiveness of treatment, helps determine the need for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and ensures that the patient remains adequately oxygenated as their condition evolves.

Other aspects such as skin integrity, pain levels, and neurological status are important to evaluate but do not provide the same immediate and crucial information regarding the life-threatening effects of carbon monoxide on oxygen transport and delivery.