Emergency oxygen delivery 2: patients with asthma and COPD.

This is the second of a two-part unit on the use of emergency oxygen in adults. Part 1 outlined the main recommendations of the recently published British Thoracic Society guidance. It also examined managing breathlessness in non-hypoxaemic patients. This part discusses some potential changes to clinical practice and provides practical examples on administering oxygen to patients with acute asthma and COPD. It also outlines issues around administering oxygen that lack evidence and need good-quality studies.

Emergency oxygen delivery in adults 1: updating nursing practice.

The first in this two-part unit discusses new British Thoracic Society guidance on using emergency oxygen in adults. This is the first national guidance on this area and the implications for possible changes to practice are highlighted here. This part outlines the philosophy behind the guideline, the differences between hypoxaemic and hypercapnic patients and essential assessments for critically ill patients who need emergency oxygen. It also discusses using this therapy for patients with lung cancer in acute situations.