Practice Quiz

Respiratory Therapist

Category - Patient Evaluations and Recommendations

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A patient has been using 2 L/min supplemental oxygen at home at via nasal cannula; but complains of continued dyspnea on exertion. An in-office pulse oximetry on 2 L/min demonstrates results as follows:

At rest, the oxygen saturation is 95% with heart rate 92. With exertion, the oxygen saturation is 86% with heart rate 112.

What is the appropriate next step in the patient’s evaluation?
  1. Continue treatment at 2 L/min and order an overnight pulse oximetry.
  2. Increase oxygen to 3 L/min and check pulse oximetry.
  3. Maintain oxygen at rest at 2 L/min, increase oxygen to 3 L/min with exertion and check saturation.
  4. None of the above
Explanation
Answer: C - The appropriate step would be to keep patient at 2 L/min at rest and increase liter flow and monitor saturation with exertion to ensure it remains greater than 89%.

The 2 L/min flow is adequate for patient at rest with saturation of 95%, but is inadequate if the saturation drops to 86%. The appropriate step would be to keep patient at 2 L/min at rest and increase liter flow and monitor saturation with exertion to ensure it remains greater than 89%.
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