According to a position paper published by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), there’s been much emphasis on the need for EMS to carefully titrate oxygen administration using pulse oximetry to avoid worse outcomes attributed to hyperoxia.
“Since EMS personnel are often called upon by members of the community for safety recommendations, it’s important they know the difference between their ‘EMS/fire/police unit oxygen’ and ‘public/first aid oxygen’ usage,” writes Pete Goldman, MD, a consultant to Allied Healthcare Products.
According to Goldman, “It’s unlikely that FDA-approved stock first aid oxygen units, with flow rates of 6-7 LPM, produce hyperoxia, as defined, and are probably safe to use without pulse oximetry.”
Is First Aid/Public Use of Oxygen Safe Without Oximetry?
Thankyou for the comment on this most important and timely issue.
Submitted in support of conclusion but not published in the JEMS article was my personal data from Lehigh Valley Hospital RT Dept. showing a PaO2 of 222.0 mmHg after 5 minutes quiet breathing from a stock Lif-O-Gen Automated First Aid Oxygen unit (rest of ABG data WNL).
Also submitted was Dept. confirmation of the unit’s 6.7 LPM O2 flow rate and my nl PFTs, including diffusion study.
Hopefully, this erases any doubt about the conclusion.
My personal data study from Lehigh Valley Hosp. RT Dept., unprinted in JEMS article, confirmed the Conclusion:
•PaO2 at end of 5 minutes of quiet breathing from stock Lif-O-Gen Automated First Aid Oxygen unit was 222.0 mmHg, rest of ABGs wnl. Electrolytes wnl.
•My PFTs, including diffusion, wnl.
•Unit flow rate measured at 6.8 LPM.
•O2 conc. within mask firmly on face 35-45%, varying with respiratory cycle.
Conclusion confirming personal data available per Lehigh Valley Hosp. Dept of Respiratory Care Services.
Request [email protected]