Skill
Oxygen Therapy Nasal Cannula
Review by category
Choose the list to review
The selected category is identified by a yellow outline and a "Selected section" label.
Contraindications
Review these conditions before proceeding and follow current orders, protocols, facility policy, and supervising-clinician direction.
- Known ignition source near oxygen delivery (fire risk) or smoking during therapy
Relative contraindications
Use individualized risk-benefit assessment, added precautions, or a modified approach as authorized for the patient and setting.
- Target oxygen saturation ranges should be individualized
- Risk of CO2 retention in susceptible patients
- Hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring controlled oxygen titration
- Nasal obstruction or skin breakdown preventing cannula use
- Paraquat poisoning or bleomycin lung injury: avoid high FiO2‚ if possible
- Sinus surgery
Sources
Supporting sources include peer-reviewed research, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, professional standards, and foundational respiratory care references, as applicable to the skill.
- National Fire Protection Association. (2021). NFPA 99: Health care facilities code. National Fire Protection Association.
- American Association for Respiratory Care. (2020). AARC clinical practice guideline: Oxygen therapy in adults. Respiratory Care, 65(6), 731–749. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.06786
- Heuer, A. J., Scanlan, C. L., & Wilkins, R. L. (2021). Egan's fundamentals of respiratory care (11th ed.). Elsevier.
- O'Driscoll, B. R., Howard, L. S., Earis, J., Mak, V. H. F., & British Thoracic Society Emergency Oxygen Guideline Group. (2017). BTS guideline for oxygen use in adults in healthcare and emergency settings. Thorax, 72(Suppl 1), ii1–ii90. https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2016-209729