Any who
complain of being breathless, are
hypoxaemic and shows signs of
peripheral cyanosis, or have a very
limited exercise capacity, should
have their resting oxygen saturation
measured by pulse oximetry. This
will help the community nurse
decide whether to refer the patient
to a specialist oxygen service for
assessment. Similarly, many elderly
patients in the community will have a
diagnosis of chronic lung disease and
be using long-term oxygen therapy