Optimizing Oxygenation in the Mechanically Ventilated Patient: Nursing Practice Implications

Critical care nurses constitute front-line care provision for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Hypoxemic respiratory compromise/failure is a primary reason that patients require ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. Critical care nurses must possess advanced knowledge, skill, and judgment when caring for these patients to ensure that interventions aimed at optimizing oxygenation are both effective and safe. This article discusses fundamental aspects of respiratory physiology and clinical indices used to describe oxygenation status. Key nursing interventions including patient assessment, positioning, pharmacology, and managing hemodynamic parameters are discussed, emphasizing their effects toward mitigating ventilation-perfusion mismatch and optimizing oxygenation.