CNA Training
There may be times after your CNA training when your patients are prescribed oxygen supplementation by their doctor. As you will be taught while you are in CNA training, oxygen most often comes in green tanks when it is compressed. However, it can also be provided in liquid form when a concentrator is used.
Oxygen safety is a part of your CNA training you can not overlook. While it is present in our our atmosphere and we must breathe it to survive, it can also be a safety hazard when it is supplemented via a concentrator or in a compressed form. This is because it is a fire hazard. It isn’t exactly flammable, like chemicals, propane, and gasoline, but it is an accelerant that can support combustion.
When you are working with patients after CNA training, you need to understand how to keep yourself and other safe when oxygen supplementation is in use.
Safety Tips for Oxygen Use After CNA Training
- Never allow anyone to smoke in a room where oxygen is being used, even if a patient is not using the oxygen at the moment. This is most often a problem when you are providing home care after CNA training, as most medical facilities prevent smoking on grounds these days. Make sure to remove any lighters, matches, ashtrays and cigarettes from the room to discourage smoking.
- Do not use electric appliances in the same room that an oxygen source is present after CNA training. Also, when oxygen is being used, avoid plugging in or unplugging any appliances from wall plugs to reduce the risk of sparks.
- After CNA training, never have a candle or open flame present in a room with an oxygen tank, even if it is not currently being used.
- When your patient is using an oxygen tank or source after your CNA training, do not comb his or her hair. The static electricity could result in a spark that ignites the oxygen.
- After CNA training, remove any synthetic bedding and wool from your patient’s room if they are using oxygen and replace them with cotton to reduce the chances of sparks.
- Regularly check the oxygen equipment your patients are using. If you find any leaks, make sure the tanks are shut off immediately and seek help. Make sure you keep a close eye on your patient, however, if you are forced to turn off the oxygen even for a few minutes. The lack of oxygen could negatively affect your patient’s health after CNA training.
- Always be sure to fill out an incident report, as you learned how to do while you were taking CNA training, if any problems occur with your patient’s oxygen tank. Then be sure to provide this report to your charge nurse or director of nursing.
Oxygen Safety is Essential After CNA Training
While oxygen isn’t exactly flammable, but is more of an accelerant, it is still very dangerous after CNA training. Make sure you understand how to work around oxygen when your patients require it so you can stay safe and keep your patients safe after CNA training.
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