Chapter 4: Administering meds

Assisting with oxygen therapy

She is now on oxygen. We’ve had a couple of power failures, which caused a bit of panic, so we got a small portable tank that has given us peace of mind — plus we can use it to bring her outside.

With certain respiratory diseases such as advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), oxygen may be prescribed for the person. The level of oxygen is prescribed by a trained specialist who looks at the patient’s history and current condition and has the knowledge to determine the correct oxygen level.

Oxygen is a commonly used medication and needs to be prescribed and set up by healthcare professionals. When helping a person with their oxygen, follow the steps listed below. Ask the person’s healthcare provider if you need to know or do anything else before applying the oxygen therapy. Click the arrows to view the steps.

​​ Helpful resources