Oxygen therapy Nurses should be able to assess for hypoxemia/hypoxia and administer appropriate oxygen therapy for individuals with all levels of dyspnea. During an AECOPD, individuals experience an increase in the work of breathing due to the ongoing disease progression and the underlying pathology. This may cause difficulty in maintaining adequate oxygenation. When treating acute or unstable dyspnea, usual treatment should include appropriate controlled oxygen therapy via a high flow system to maintain oxygen saturation greater than or equal to 90-92% [78]. Clinical status should be monitored carefully by continuous oximetry or arterial blood gases measurements [79]. Oxygen therapy for individuals experiencing acute dyspnea may be complicated by the presence of co-morbidities such as asthma, heart failure, pneumonia, and sleep apnea. These individuals may require higher concentration of oxygen therapy and intense monitoring of their respiratory status is essential [79]