Treatment protocol: 02 level must be maintained between 92-96% after stabilisation
kolkata: State health department has found some lapses in the oxygen therapy at various government hospitals which often leads to misuse of oxygen.
The department has also issued directives to the hospital authorities prescribing some guidelines in this regard.
During inspection the health officials found that the earlier guidelines issued by the health department were not properly followed.
Register was not properly maintained as to what amount of oxygen would be applied on a particular patient.
Adjustment of oxygen flow was not always done as per the requirement. Adjustment was not properly done in some cases when the oxygen saturation is going down.
On the basis of its observation, the health department has again issued some guidelines to the hospitals.
Last month, the health department directed the Superintendents of all hospitals to strictly adhere to oxygen therapy protocol after it found that there was a prevailing tendency of overusing medical oxygen for treatment of Covid patients, leading to an artificial crisis. The hospital authorities were also instructed to deploy a ward sister who will monitor the oxygen management of Covid patients in the hospital. In addition to that, a designated official will be responsible for overall management and supply of oxygen.
"As per the State government protocol, the oxygen saturation should be maintained at 92-96 per cent after initial stabilisation of patients as there is no benefit by increasing the maintenance level. Doctors must write the appropriate device and initial oxygen flow rate in the prescription while the on duty nurses should monitor the saturation and escalate or de-escalate this to maintain the saturation level at the prescribed parameter," reads the order issued to the hospitals.
