Editorial: Emergency Oxygen for Adults guideline - a change in oxygen therapy practice?

Oxygen therapy in adult patients. Part 2: promoting safe and effective practice in patients' care and management

The assessment, care and management of patients requiring oxygen therapy are key aspects of a nurse's role. Although oxygen therapy is an important treatment for many clinical conditions, it carries risks and complications; therefore, nurses and other health professionals have a responsibility to ensure safe and effective practice along with maintaining and developing their knowledge and skills in this therapy. The relevant aspects of physiology and pathophysiology were explored and discussed in part one of this article ( Rolfe and Paul, 2018 ). The aims of the second part are to discuss: (1) the indications for oxygen therapy; (2) the principles of assessment, care and management of adult patients requiring oxygen therapy; and (3) recommendations for the safe and effective use of oxygen devices, along with the potential complications.

Oxygen therapy: professional compliance with national guidelines

One of the major causes of critical illness in the UK is the deterioration of respiratory function (British Thoracic Society (BTS), 2008). The administration of supplemental oxygen therapy, although often lifesaving, can also have serious consequences if performed inappropriately. A literature review was carried out to establish whether oxygen therapy was prescribed and administered in acute care in accordance with both national guidelines and local policy. Four common themes were identified from the literature: prescribing, monitoring, administration and equipment. The review suggests that an educational programme ranging from pre-registration curriculum content to the practical experiences of junior doctors with regard to oxygen management would be appropriate. The authors suggest that the current practice of healthcare practitioners should undergo a planned timetable of audit to improve the prescription, administration and monitoring of supplemental oxygen therapy for the benefit of patient outcomes.