TY - JOUR T1 - Attitudes to oxygen prescription JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P2015 AU - Jimstan Periselneris AU - Hugo Farne AU - Archie Macnair AU - Sally Hickman AU - Rachel Browne AU - Karnan Satkunam Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2015.abstract N2 - Background: The BTS guidelines for emergency oxygen use in adults were published in 2008 to ensure the evidence-based safe usage of this commonly given drug. Four national BTS audits have repeatedly shown poor prescription and delivery of oxygen. This was reflected in our data at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, a 500-bed district general hospital. We investigated the cause of poor oxygen use despite mandatory oxygen prescription (trust guidelines) and incorporation on the bedside prescription chart.Methods & Results: We distributed a survey to medical, nursing, and pharmacy staff. 113 responses were obtained. Assessment of oxygen knowledge was generally good among doctors, but 56% of nurses had not had any teaching on the subject. Amongst doctors 75% felt oxygen would be given no matter what the prescription stated and 60% felt that nurses did not look for the prescription on the drug chart. The majority did not believe that it was onerous to prescribe or that blanket provision of oxygen was harmless. Amongst nurses 47% felt that using oxygen prescription was onerous. 44% rarely or never signed for oxygen on ward rounds, and only 42% had changed the delivery device or flow rate independently despite prescription. 40% of pharmacists felt that it wasn't part of their role to check oxygen prescription and 50% thought that oxygen would be given regardless of a prescription.Discussion: Despite recognizing its importance, there are significant attitude barriers to better oxygen prescription. As a result doctors don't prescribe oxygen as they believe nurses will ignore the prescription and nurses don't sign on the chart as oxygen isn't prescribed. Attitudes towards oxygen prescription need to be radically changed to improve matters. ER -