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Description

Problem

  • Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pose challenges for oxygenation. Often requiring heated high flow oxygen therapy (HHFOT) for days to weeks, with literflow commonly over 40 L/min with maximum of 60 L/min.
  • There is minimal research on aspiration risk at higher literflow, therefore practice included decreasing liter flow to 20 L/min for oral intake was standard.
  • During oral intake, with literflow decreased to 20 L/min, patients' oxygen saturations would quickly trend down.
  • Alarms indicating low saturation would create anxiety, cause patients to eat faster potentially increasing risk for aspiration.

Solution

  • For adult inpatients meeting criteria, increase maximum literflow allowed during oral intake from to 40 L/min.
  • Develop guidelines for:
  1. oxygen supplementation during oral intake
  2. how/when to consult Speech Language Pathologist
  3. inclusion of dietitian earlier in hospitalization





Publication Date

2023

City

St. Cloud, MN

Keywords

Oxygen inhalation therapy, Oxygen supplementation, COVID-19, Speech pathology, Aspiration, Oral intake

Disciplines

Critical Care Nursing | Other Nursing

Comments

2023 Nurses Week Poster

Heated High Flow Oxygen Therapy Management of Respiratory, Swallowing/Dysphagia and Nutrition Needs

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