The nasal oxygen practice in intensive care units in China: A multi-centered survey

BACKGROUND: Nurses frequently administer nasal oxygen therapy for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). However, little is known about the current status, nurses’ management and perception on the nasal oxygen therapy in China. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the nasal oxygen practice of ICUs in China to provide insights into future direction. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on 10 hospitals was conducted. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to ICU nurses. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed to analyze the respondents’ questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 580 respondents with a response rate of 96.67% were included in this study. The average correct answer rate was 58.28%. The current status of nasal oxygen administration in ICUs in Chinese hospitals lagged behind the recommendations of related guidelines. Nurses in China were eager to learn about the updated knowledge on oxygen therapy. The gender, age, clinical experience, degree, job title, and classification of working hospitals were not related to the oxygen therapy-related knowledge scores (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Many deficiencies are observed regarding the nasal oxygen practice in ICUs of Chinese hospitals. Increased efforts by authorities and medical staff are required to narrow the gap between the current status of oxygen practice and the recommendations from related guidelines.