Final answer:
The patient receives approximately 20 percent oxygen from rescue breathing without supplemental oxygen. Administering 100 percent oxygen is vital for treating carbon monoxide poisoning as it dislodges carbon monoxide from hemoglobin. Pulse oximetry is used to measure blood oxygen levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The administration of 100 percent oxygen is critical in treating a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning because oxygen hastens the dissociation of carbon monoxide from carboxyhemoglobin, returning it to its functional state as hemoglobin, capable of carrying oxygen. Carbon dioxide would not work as a treatment because it does not compete with carbon monoxide for binding sites on hemoglobin and therefore would not aid in the release of carbon monoxide from those sites. In emergency situations where supplemental oxygen is not available, performing rescue breathing can still deliver approximately 20 percent oxygen found in atmospheric air, which can be life-saving. However, this is significantly lower than the oxygen administered in medical settings.
Pulse oximetry is used to monitor the percent saturation of hemoglobin in real-time, providing a non-invasive measure of a person's oxygenation level. Normal readings range from 95-100 percent, with lower percentages indicating hypoxemia or low blood oxygen. Immediate intervention is required when oxygen levels are critically low, as permanent brain damage or death can occur within minutes without oxygen.