What it means
oxygenOK-sih-jenA gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.Full entry is a drug and needs an order. It is given by nasal cannula, face masks of several kinds, high-flow devices or a ventilator, and the device decides how much oxygen the client receives. It treats low oxygen (hypoxemiahy-pok-SEE-mee-uhA level of oxygen in the blood below normal.hypo- belowox oxygen-emia in the bloodFull entry ); clients with long-term lung disease may use it at home.
For the nurse
Check oxygen saturation and breathing, and give the amount ordered. Oxygen feeds fire: no smoking, candles or open flames near it. Check the skin behind the ears and on the nose for pressure from the tubing.
At a glance
| Spanish | oxigenoterapia |
|---|---|
| Also written | supplemental oxygen therapy, supplemental oxygen |
Related terms
pulse oximetry
A painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to move air out of the lungs.
oxygen
A gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.
hypoxemia
A level of oxygen in the blood below normal.
oximetry
Measuring how much of the blood's hemoglobin is carrying oxygen.