Improving oxygen prescribing on the Kardex in ward-level care

Introduction Oxygen is considered a type of drug and is one of the most common drugs prescribed in the hospital for treatment of hypoxaemia. According to the British Thoracic Society (BTS) oxygen use guidelines, unwell patients who are not at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure should be getting a target saturation range of 94%-98%, whereas those at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure (ie COPD, morbid obesity, advanced cystic fibrosis, chest wall deformities, neuromuscular disorders, severe bronchiectasis or overdose of opioids/benzodiazepines) should have a target saturation range of 88%-92%, while waiting for the blood gas results. [...]there is still room for improvement to sustain this good clinical practice. * References 1 Choudhury A, Young G, Reyad B, Shah N, Rahman R. Can we improve the prescribing and delivery of oxygen on a respiratory ward in accordance with new British Thoracic Society oxygen guidelines? BMJ Open Quality 2018;7:p.e000371. 2 O'Driscoll B, Howard L, Earis J, Mak V. BTS guideline for oxygen use in adults in healthcare and emergency settings.