New guidance on oxygen use in adults

Area of Science:

• Medical Auditing
• Respiratory Care
• Hospital Quality Improvement

Background:

• The British Thoracic Society (BTS) conducted a national audit in 2015 to assess oxygen therapy practices in UK hospitals.
• Oxygen therapy is a critical intervention for various medical conditions, necessitating careful administration and monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence and patterns of emergency oxygen use in UK hospitals.
• To identify potential deviations from best practices in oxygen prescription and administration.

Main Methods:

• The study involved a retrospective audit of approximately 55,000 patients across UK hospitals.
• Data collection focused on the prescription, administration, and monitoring of oxygen therapy.

Main Results:

• One in seven (approximately 15.7%) of audited patients received oxygen therapy.
• A significant proportion, 40%, of patients receiving oxygen did so without a documented prescription or written order.

Conclusions:

• The audit identified a substantial rate of oxygen therapy administration without proper medical orders.
• These findings underscore the need for improved adherence to prescribing guidelines and enhanced oversight in hospital oxygen management.