Source: Annual Congress 2004 - Emphysema and oxygen therapy

Abstract

Respiratory diseases form the largest group of patients that are admitted acutely to the Medical Assessment Unit in University Hospital Aintree, and such patients are commonly prescribed nebulised bronchodilators. The aims of this audit were to identify if oxygen therapy was prescribed, if the driving gas for nebuliser therapy was specified, and the decision maker for the driving gas.
During a three week period in Spring 2003, 48 patients on the MAU were examined who were receiving nebulised bronchodilator therapy. A proforma was used to gather information regarding admission working diagnosis, oxygen therapy, domicilliary oxygen, home nebuliser therapy, and details of the member of staff (medical or nursing) who instituted the oxygen therapy or driving gas.
Results: Oxygen was never prescribed on the drug prescription chart despite being given. In the majoriy of cases the driving gas for nebuliser therapy was never specified nor prescribed. Nursing staff made the decision which driving gas to use for the nebuliser therapy and in the 48 cases examined this was oxygen. Patients on domicilliary oxygen were seldom aware of what oxygen concentration they were receiving at home.
Conclusion: Oxygen and the driving gas for nebuliser therapy is not prescribed on the drug chart and this treatment is usually left to the discretion of the nursing staff.
Recommendations: Oxygen and the driving gas for nebulisers should be prescribed on the drug prescription chart, and this could be achieved by incorporating a preprinted area on the drug prescription chart for oxygen and the driving gas for nebuliser therapy.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
K. Satya, A. Srivastava, A. J. Crowther (Liverpool, United Kingdom). Prescription of oxygen therapy and nebuliser driving gas in the medical assessment unit. Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 1515

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