Sun, Jun 20, 2021 12:12 AM

Oxygen Therapy in the Hospital | A Guide for You and Your Family

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Be careful with portable oxygen tanks - don’t drop, drag, or roll them.
Don’t adjust the knobs or valves on the wall above your hospital bed or on your portable oxygen tank. This can:
change your dose and you may get too much or too little oxygen therapy
increase the risk of damage to the portable oxygen tank (some types of damage can be dangerous)
When you take portable oxygen tanks in a vehicle, secure them so they don’t move around. For example, strap the tanks in with a seatbelt – they shouldn’t roll or bump into anything else.
Don’t store oxygen tanks in the trunk, and always keep tanks away from hot cars and direct sunlight.
Keep portable oxygen tanks at least 3 metres away from open flames and sparks.
Never leave portable oxygen tanks near any type of heat source.
What happens if my portable oxygen tank runs low?
When the gauge on your tank shows less than 500 psi or the needle is in the red shaded area, the tank is getting low on oxygen. Return to your care unit and ask your healthcare team member for another tank.
You’ll know that your portable oxygen tank is empty when the gauge is at 0 (zero) or the needle will be all the way to the left in the red shaded area. Get a new tank right away.
Before you leave your care unit with portable oxygen, check with your healthcare team about how long you can stay away.
What can I do about my dry nose and nosebleeds?
The skin inside your nose can get dry and sore or it can bleed when you use oxygen therapy at a high dose or for a long period of time.
If this happens to you while in hospital, ask your healthcare team for a water-based nasal gel or cream.
 

It’s important to remember not to use petroleum-based or oil-based products on your face or in your nose while on oxygen therapy.  It’s important to remember not to use petroleum-based or oil-based products on your face or in your nose while on oxygen therapy. It’s important to remember not to use petroleum-based or oil-based products on your face or in your nose while on oxygen therapy. It’s important to remember not to use petroleum-based or oil-based products on your face or in your nose while on oxygen therapy.