Fact:
Oxygen is a medication ordered by the physician
Humans naturally breath 21% oxygen from the room air
Normal oxygen saturation is 95-99%
Clinically, if not receiving oxygen therapy, a patient on room air should have pulse ox reading of at least 92% or above
Definitions:
Pulse oximeter – a non-invasive way to monitor the percentage of oxygen carried in blood.
Hypoxia – Impaired level of oxygen in the body
Hypoxic - Lack of oxygen in the tissues, tissue starved for oxygen
Hypoxemia – Not enough oxygen in the patient blood stream
Oxygen saturation: Indicator of the amount of blood saturated with oxygen
SAO2 – Saturation of arterial oxygen oxygen saturation results from a blood gas a calculated result
SPO2 - Oxygen saturation from pulse oximetry results
FIO2 - Fractured of inspired oxygen –FIO2
Percentage above 21 percent that is added to in addition to help oxygenate your patient
E.g. if giving patient 2 liters of oxygen FIO2 is about 24% based on the patients breathing pattern (remember at room air we at 21% FIO2)
E.g. if giving your patient 5 liters of oxygen FIO2 is about 40%
Nasal Cannula:
Delivers 1/8th of a liter to 6 liters/min of oxygen
Drying to nasal mucosa, apply humidification/moisture
Humidification adds moisture to the patients nasal mucosa by picking up droplets of water as the air is passed through the tubing to the patient
Drying of mucosa is uncomfortable for the patient and can cause nose bleeds
3 liters and above should be humidified (TCH standard –other organizations may have other standards)
Be sure to check for skin breakdown especially behind the ears
6 liters is not enough???
Need to deliver more oxygen to meet the patients minimum requirement of 92% O2 sats?
Then step up to an oxymizer!!
Oxymizer:
AKA “the mustache”
Larger boar tubing
Enables higher flow delivery
Can deliver 1/6th liter to 15 liters of oxygen per minute
Will oxygenate