Oxygen administration: is practice based on evidence?

An audit of oxygen administration to children in the paediatric unit of a district general hospital was carried out following the introduction of new guidelines. The aim of the audit was to review oxygen administration practices against the guidance but also to gather information concerning patients, diagnoses, prescription practices and delivery devices. The notes of 36 infants and children admitted during a two week (winter) period who received oxygen were retrospectively reviewed for the audit. The standards for monitoring the amount of oxygen delivered and oxygenation were found to be high but the prescribing of oxygen was varied. The most common diagnosis of children receiving oxygen was bronchiolitis, and the device used to deliver oxygen most frequently was nasal cannula. Few headboxes were used and experienced team members noted this as a marked change in practice. A further examination of the evidence on the use of nasal cannulae for oxygen delivery in the younger age group led to new practice recommendations.