Usually...the pressure is transmitted from the artery (or whatever you are
monitoring) thru the pressure tubing (which is stiff) and fluid to the
transducer. There the pressure is converted from mechanical to an electrical
signal that we see on a monitor. Anything between the source (artery...) and
the transducer that can be compressed will cause a dampened wave form. Air
is compressible and that is why we try so hard to get all the air out. The
same thing would happen if you used regular IV tubing, it is very soft and
some of the pressure would be lost between the source and transducer.

-----Original Message-----
From: nursebob@yahoogroups.com [mailto:nursebob@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of john hendricks
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 4:16 PM
To: nursebob@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Zeroing the arterial line


can anyone explain what it means if your wave form is dampened?

Roxan Temaat <rtemaatemict@...> wrote:The stopcock is positioned off
to the patient, remove the cap and
'zero' it on the monitor.

Roxan
EMICT, RN

--- dinoda@... wrote:

> Hello Nurse Bob, I have a question regarding the position of the
> stopcock when zeroing an A-line. I read your description on
> transducer/line set up and use however I am not sure which way the
> stopcock should be positioned. Should the stopcock be open to all
> three ports, pressure bag, to air and patient or closed to one of the
> three (not closed to air obviously and with the "end cap" removed)
> when I use the "zero" function on my monitor? Your information is
> greatly appreciated, Thank you, Dino D'Angelo, Paramedic/RN.



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