Breathing and Oxygen  >  Giving Oxygen

What to Do

Turning Oxygen On

parts of an oxygen delivery system

Know the parts of the oxygen delivery system. Each system will vary.

  • An oxygen gauge shows you the amount of oxygen in the system.
  • A flow control valve allows you to turn on the flow of oxygen at the ordered flow rate, such as 2 L/min.
  • Some oxygen systems come with a humidifier bottle. When the bottle is filled with distilled water and connected to the oxygen tubing, the water bubbles, creating moist humidified oxygen that flows through the person’s nose, mouth or tracheostomy. Oxygen can dry the nasal tissue and throat. Humidified oxygen benefits people who need to receive oxygen continuously.
  • A cannula or connecting tubing will connect the humidifier and oxygen delivery system to the delivery device, such as a nasal cannula or mask.

Watch for Signs of Hypoxemia (Not enough oxygen in the blood)

A person who requires oxygen can develop low oxygen levels in their blood easily, because of their health condition. Any change in activity or increase in oxygen needs might cause hypoxemia. For example, too much exercise, removing an oxygen mask during bathing, a fever, or removing a mask because it becomes uncomfortable can trigger hypoxemia.

Signs of Hypoxia include:

  • Apprehension
  • Anxiety
  • Decreased ability to concentrate
  • Changes in consciousness
  • Increased fatigue
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Increased pulse
  • Faster breathing
  • Pale skin
  • Bluish tinge to fingernails or lips

When these signs develop, despite the fact that the person that you are caring for is already on oxygen, call the home health nurse or doctor immediately.


Skin Care

When an oxygen mask or cannula is left in place for several hours, the skin of the face, nose and behind the ears can become irritated. Routine care is needed to prevent injury to the skin. Use caution when caring for the skin as you do not want to discontinue oxygen use for any length of time. Consult with your home health nurse about the best approach to use.

  • Moisten the inside of the person’s nose, using a normal saline spray or a water-soluble jelly, such as the brand KY Jelly. (Nasal cannula’s without humidity can cause irritation, dryness and nose bleeding).
  • Place cotton padding or a small gauze square over the ears or any areas of soreness. If am ulcer forms call your home health nurse.
  • Do not use petroleum based jelly – such as Vaseline. These products do not cause fires, but they will support burning if a fire occurs.

Maintaining and Cleaning Equipment

A Home Oxygen Provider (HOP) is usually a durable medical equipment (DME) or home health service that offers 24-hour emergency service and can be reached through an answering service. This gives you the ability to contact the HOP in an emergency such as a power or equipment failure.

The HOP will provide a backup system or extra oxygen cylinders in the event of a power outage. This is important if the person is on an oxygen concentrator and there is a chance that the power may be out for a long period of time. When using a concentrator, contact the electric company and tell them that you are caring for someone who relies on electricity for their oxygen. The electric company will keep this information on file and it allows for priority when re-establishing service.

When a person is on liquid oxygen the reservoir is a back-up system since liquid oxygen does not use electricity to operate.


Check an Oxygen System Daily

When you care for someone receiving oxygen, make these daily checks:

  • Check your equipment for any damage, including tears or leaks in tubing, signs of wear or problems with any of the electrical components, or damage to any parts of the equipment.
  • If you have compressed oxygen tanks, check to see that they are properly secured.
  • If the person has an ambulatory container, check the carrier regularly for signs of wear and tear.
  • Check the pressure gauge. Note any unusual changes in oxygen use. For example, is the amount remaining in a tank less than what you expect? The HOP will tell you if you need to order more oxygen.
  • Make sure the flow meter shows oxygen is being given at the proper rate. Do not adjust the flow meter except under the doctor’s orders.
  • Always refill the humidifier with the recommended type of water (usually distilled). Only fill to the proper level. When oxygen is at a flow rate of 1-4 liters/minute by mask or nasal cannula, the body will usually have enough moisture in the mouth, nose and throat to provide for adequate humidification (moisture). However, when a person has a respiratory infection, wears the oxygen continuously, needs oxygen at higher flow rates, or when oxygen is delivered through a tracheostomy, humidification is needed.

Clean the System

The HOP will tell you how best to clean oxygen equipment.

  • Clean a nasal cannula daily. Take a clean, damp cloth and wipe down the cannula tubing after removing it from the person’s nose. Start cleansing at the entrance to the nose and wipe down toward the base of the tubing.
  • If you are using a humidifier, clean the bottle twice a week in warm soapy water and rinse with clean hot water. Do not just swish the suds around, use a soft cloth and clean thoroughly. Then soak in a 1 part to 3 part mixture of white vinegar and water for a minute. Always rinse the bottle thoroughly with water after soaking and shake off excess water. Do not reuse the vinegar and water mixture.
  • Refill the humidifier with distilled water as needed, but do NOT overfill the bottle. Too much water in the bottle causes water to collect in the oxygen tubing.
  • Always allow pieces of equipment to dry thoroughly before continuing use.
  • Wipe off oxygen tubing daily with a clean, damp cloth.
  • The extension tubing does not need to be washed. Check regularly for major kinks or possible splitting.
  • Use a damp cloth to dust off oxygen tanks and concentrators. A dry cloth may cause static electricity and create a fire risk.

Have An Adequate Oxygen Supply

The amount of oxygen in a system varies by the type of system. Talk with your HOP about how to figure the length of time a tank or cylinder will last. The provider will give you a time table to use to estimate the numbers of hours of oxygen left in a system.

The amount of oxygen available will vary by how much oxygen the person uses. For example, a full 625 liter compressed tank will provide oxygen for 10 hrs at a rate of 1 liter per minute. The same tank will provide oxygen for 3 hrs at a flow rate of 4 liters per minute.

Always be sure you have an ambulatory tank which will allow you to get where you are going and back, without running out of oxygen. This may mean carrying an extra tank with you to switch out in case the first one runs low.