Interruption of oxygen therapy during intrahospital transport of non-ICU patients: elimination of a common problem through caregiver education.
Hospital inpatients frequently leave their rooms for diagnostic procedures and for other reasons. For some, interruption of oxygen therapy during transport could lead to serious complications. In our institution, non-ICU patient transport is done mainly by nonclinical personnel from an independent transport service.


METHODS
We reviewed respiratory care department and transport service records for 5 arbitrarily selected days to determine the number of non-ICU patients receiving O2 therapy, the number of times these patients were transported, and the number of occasions on which O2 was used during the transport. We then interviewed the primary nurse for each patient transported without O2 and reviewed the charts of those patients to determine whether this practice was consistent with the therapy as it had been ordered. After our initial investigation showed a high rate of transport without prescribed O2, we sent memoranda to all nursing units describing proper procedures for transport of patients for whom O2 had been ordered. We then repeated the audit. Because the second audit showed the need, we conducted education sessions with all nursing personnel on the affected units and posted guidelines for O2 use during transport. A third audit was then conducted. In addition, we performed a telephone survey of respiratory care department managers to learn the patient-transport practices in all hospitals in our state with more than 200 beds, using a structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
During the initial 125 patient-days of O2 therapy, O2 accompanied patients on only 30 of 55 transports (55%). After distribution of memoranda, O2 use increased to 28 of 35 transports (80%) during 82 patient-days. The second educational effort resulted in O2 use with all 35 transports (100%) performed during 99 patient-days. Survey results from 24 hospitals with 225-680 beds showed that 11 (46%) had separate transport services and that decisions on O2 use during patient transport were generally made by nursing staff. Although respiratory care departments supplied the O2 equipment, their personnel were involved in non-ICU transports in only 5/24 hospitals.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients receiving O2 therapy on acute-care wards are often transported to other areas of the hospital without O2. This potentially dangerous practice can be corrected by respiratory care practitioners through educational efforts targeted toward those responsible for administering O2 therapy in non-ICU hospital areas.
Stubbs
C R
CR
Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98104.
Crogan
K J
KJ
Pierson
D J
DJ
D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008485:Medical Audit; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D010354:Patient Escort Service / Q000592:standards*; D012139:Respiratory Therapy Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014861:Washington