OXYGEN-THERAPY IN THE HOSPITAL - A ROUTIN E TREATMENT

We have studied the use of Oxygen (O2) in our hospital, evaluating the prescription criteria and also the control and degree of therapeutic compliance. The study was completed with an opinion survey to physicia ns and nurses on different aspects of oxygentherapy at the hospital. 5 0 inpatients under treatment with O2 have been studied. Clinical recor ds and therapeutic prescriptions were reviewed. 47 patients had a prev ious gasometry, of them 44 had Respiratory Insufficiency (RI). 26 pati ents were controlled during oxygen-therapy: 15 were still on RI and tw o had their treatment modified. The compliance of treatment was evalua ted through a visit in a non regular hour, 18 patients (36%) were not following oxygen therapy. When a new gasometry was performed it was ob served that 21 patients (42%) continued in RI. The survey showed that a high number of physicians and nurses consider that oxygen therapy is done inadequately, being this fact attributed to several factors. The re are errors in the handling of O2 at the hospital, possible related with the routine associated to an established therapy and also because O2 is a continuous therapy which requires a permanent level of attent ion both from the health care personnel and from the patient.