RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Oxygen (O2) therapy is one of the most commonly applied medications in German hospitals and rescue services. Both hypoxemia and hyperoxemia can be associated with complications. There is currently a lack of reliable data on the use, documentation and surveillance of O2-therapy in German hospitals. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on the use of O2 in three hospitals in Hannover, Germany. RESULTS: Of 343 patients included in this study, 20â% received O2 therapy. Twenty-nine percent of patients receiving O2 were at increased risk for hypercapnia. A standard operating procedure (SOP) for O2 therapy was available in only 68â% of patients. In 22â% patients the applied O2-therapy was appropriate in the context of the documented vital parameters. A complete documentation of vital parameters was conducted in only 30â% of all patients and 41â% of patients receiving O2-therapy. A surveillance of O2-therapy using capillary or arterial blood gas analysis was performed in 76â% of patients. Here, 64â% of patients showed normoxemia, 17â% showed hyperoxemia and 19â% of patients showed hypoxemia. The only identifiable predictor for an adequate O2-therapy was a previous invasive ventilation. DISCUSSION: Our data point towards and inadequate prescription, application and documentation of O2 therapy. The recently released German S3-guideline should be used to increase awareness among physicians and nursing staff regarding the use of O2-therapy to improve O2 therapy and consequently patient safety.
