Clinical skills series/1: oxygen therapy

Abstract

The roles and functions of the healthcare assistant (HCA) and assistant practitioner (AP) are wide and varied; so too is the care they offer people. This care takes place in a number of settings, fo example, in the hospital or in the person's own home. This article provides an overview of the care needed for those people who require oxygen therapy. In order to care safely and effectively for people who require supplementary oxygen, the HCA and AP need to have an understanding of the anatomical and physiological processes involved in the act of breathing and gas exchange.