What it means
The air a client breathes when no oxygen is being given. Charting a pulse oximetry or blood gas result "on room air" (RA) tells the reader the number was measured without extra oxygen, so it can be compared with a reading on oxygen. Room air is 21% oxygen; oxygen devices raise that amount.
In a chart
"SpO2 96% on room air at rest."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | RA (avoid: RA also means rheumatoid arthritis and right atrium) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | aire ambiente |
| Also written | on room air |
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.
oxygen
A gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.
saturation
How full something is; in nursing, usually the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is carrying oxygen.