Objectives
- Identify
characteristics, applications, advantages, disadvantages, and
precautions of basic home oxygen systems:
- Compressed
cylinder gas
- Home
liquid oxygen systems
- Oxygen
concentrators
- Distinguish
among applications and characteristics of common home oxygen delivery
devices:
- Nasal
cannula
- Nasal
cup
- Nasal
cannula concealed in eyeglass frames
- Oxygen
mask
- Identify
elements in the rationale for devices designed to improve oxygen
delivery efficiency.
- Identify
design characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of oxygen
conserving devices:
- Reservoir
cannula
- Electronic
demand-pulsed oxygen
- Transtracheal
oxygen
Introduction
The medical community
universally recognizes long-term home oxygen as essential therapy
for hypoxemic, chronic lung disease patients. Important scientific
studies prove that chronically hypoxemic persons live longer when
they receive oxygen continuously at home. In addition, most individuals
with chronic lung disease gain even more when their home oxygen
is portable.
Pulmonary rehabilitation
experts tell us that patients are healthier and enjoy life more
when they are active, mobile, and participating in daily activities.
For patients needing oxygen, portable systems combine the proven
benefits of continuous oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation:
they live longer, require fewer hospitalizations, and enjoy a higher
quality of life.
Most patients
with portable systems also need a stationary oxygen source. They
use the stationary source for most of the day, during sleep and
wakeful rest. Some stationary systems can be moved with relative
ease from room to room. Patients will then switch to portable oxygen
for mobility when exercising, shopping, going to work, and even
when traveling.
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