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Chronic Oxygen Therapy: A Case Study

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Oxygen therapy has been used a treatment for patients for many respiratory conditions since its introduction in 1922. Oxygen therapy is prescribed to patients who are hypoxemic and have oxygen saturation level below 92%. It is recognised as drug and as such can have both benefits and side effects.
In the last few decades it has been increasingly prescribed for patients with chronic respiratory conditions to use within their own homes instead as a hospital inpatient. One of the chronic conditions that may require home oxygen therapy is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary (COPD) disorder which used to be referred to as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. As a common cause of COPD is long term cigarette smoking a significant number of COPD patients continue …show more content…

This would include a home assessment bearing in mind if children are present within the home and the proximity of the neighbours to patient’s home. The patient’s education and awareness of the risks of continuing to smoke whilst using oxygen therapy need to be evaluated. (Hardinge et al, 2015)
I believe if this approach is taken and there is clear guidelines and adequate education to the patient however they continue to smoke the risk to themselves and the public could be greater than any possible health benefits. U
This would be the opposite for the other article under review regarding the Ethics on treating smokers by blah blah. The journal article suggests that as smokers are responsible for their conditions they should not be provided medical care. I believe this would come back to the general guidelines of nursing and medical care. Ethically we are required to treat patients regardless causation of their disease.
Most medical conditions or diseases treated in modern medicine can be related to lifestyle factors such as Type diabetes can be related to obesity. This is the same for smokers and the conditions that are caused by

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