![]() ![]() Selection should be based on preventing and treating hypoxemia and preventing complications of hyper-oxygenation. Delivery systems are classified as low-flow or high-flow equipment, which provide an uncontrolled or controlled amount of supplemental oxygen to the patient (British Thoracic Society, 2008). There is a wide variety of devices available to provide oxygen support. There are no contraindications to oxygen therapy if indications for therapy are present (Kane et al., 2013). The most common reasons for initiating oxygen therapy include acute hypoxemia related to pneumonia, shock, asthma, heart failure, pulmonary embolus, myocardial infarction resulting in hypoxemia, post-operative states, pneumonthorax, and abnormalities in the quality and quantity of hemoglobin. The health care provider administering oxygen is responsible for monitoring the patient response and keeping the oxygen saturation levels within the target range. For patients with COPD, the target SaO 2 range is 88% to 92% (Alberta Health Services, 2015 British Thoracic Society, 2008 Kane, et al., 2013).Īlthough all medications given in the hospital require a prescription, oxygen therapy may be initiated without a physician order in emergency situations. Most hospitals will have a protocol in place to allow health care providers to apply oxygen in emergency situations. The target range (SaO 2) for a normal adult is 92% to 98%. The essence of oxygen therapy is to provide oxygen according to target saturation rates, and to monitor the saturation rate to keep it within target range. Hypoxemia or hypoxia is a medical emergency and should be treated promptly. Failure to initiate oxygen therapy can result in serious harm to the patient. Oxygen should be reduced or discontinued in stable patients with satisfactory oxygen saturation levels (Perry et al., 2014). Those administering oxygen must monitor the patient to keep the saturation levels within the required target range. Simply stated, oxygen therapy is a means to provide oxygen according to target saturation rates (as per physician orders or hospital protocol) to achieve normal or near normal oxygen saturation levels for acute and chronically ill patients (British Thoracic Society, 2008). Increasing the concentration of inhaled oxygen is an effective method of increasing the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood and correcting hypoxemia. Tissue oxygenation is dependent on optimal or adequate delivery of oxygen to the tissues. ![]()
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