By-Connie Stuber Due to the decreasing length of stay in hospitals, an increasing number of people are being released home while still requiring oxygen. This article is a review of the transition process and the role of the respiratory care practitioner.
Some institutions have a designated person to facilitate discharge of such individuals.
Others, like the one in which I work, does not. We are they. The inpatient RCPs are responsible for all home oxygen setups for areas of the hospital which they are covering. Patients are referred to the Respiratory Care Department by nursing when a patient is on oxygen 24 hours prior to pending discharge. Whenever RCPs become aware of a patient requiring 02 close to discharge, we automatically do a Home 02 Evaluation where we assess the oxygen status and identify the need for 02.