Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
Preoxygenation Techniques for Tracheal Intubation in Critically Ill Adults Utilizing Oxygen Mask and Noninvasive Ventilation
Published on: December 5, 2025
Doctors learn new tricks, but do they remember them? Lack of effect of an educational intervention in improving
Hamish Myers1, Julia Taylor1, Rhian S Finn1
1Respiratory Medicine, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Background And Objective:
The 'audit cycle' is a fundamental part of improving clinical performance. For this to be effective, improvements made must be sustained. We observed that the prescription of Oxygen is often poor. Our aim was to audit Oxygen prescription before and after an educational intervention, and then again 4 years on. We hypothesized that improvements made immediately after the intervention would not be sustained over a longer period of time.
Methods:
Oxygen prescription was assessed in 102 inpatients between June and August 2009. Following this, an educational intervention to improve Oxygen prescription was staged. Oxygen prescription was then re-audited in a further 102 inpatients between September 2009 and February 2010. A third audit of 72 inpatients took place between February and May 2014.
Results:
One-way analysis of variance showed significant variance between audit groups (F 8.74, F-crit 4.26, P = 0.008). Post-hoc analysis with paired t-tests confirmed significant improvement in the rate of Oxygen prescription in the second audit (24.5-58.8%, P = 0.01), immediately after the intervention. Four years on in the third audit, there was significant deterioration in the rate of Oxygen prescription compared with the second audit (58.8-13.9%, P = 0.01).
Conclusions:
The rate of Oxygen prescription improves significantly after an educational intervention; however, this improvement is not sustained. This observation is likely reflected in a range of areas where the audit cycle is used to improve performance. It is important to be aware of this potential for regression to ensure that improvements are maintained over time.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Administering Oxygen by Mask
Administering oxygen by mask is a common nursing intervention that provides supplemental oxygen to patients with respiratory distress or chronic lung conditions. This procedure involves delivering oxygen at a specified rate through a face mask connected to an oxygen source.
Equipment
The equipment necessary for this procedure includes:
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
01:16Oxygen Delivering System II: Venturi Mask and Transtracheal Oxygen
Venturi Mask
The Venturi mask, named after the Venturi effect, is designed to deliver precise oxygen concentrations. It consists of a large tube with an oxygen inlet that narrows down, causing a pressure drop that pulls air in through adjustable side ports. The mask is a lightweight,...
01:16Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue,...
01:29Administering Oxygen by Nasal Cannula
Nasal Cannulas
A nasal cannula is a lightweight tube split into two prongs placed in the nostrils,...
01:26Oxygen Delivering System I: Nasal Cannula and Face Mask
Nasal Cannula
A nasal cannula is a lightweight tube split at one end into two prongs and placed in the nostrils. It is typically used to deliver low to medium levels of oxygen.
Suggested flow rate: The suggested flow rate for a nasal cannula typically ranges between 1 and 6 L/min.
Oxygen percentage setting:...