During oxygen therapy, which parameter should be monitored to ensure safety?

• A. SpO2
• B. Blood glucose
• C. Blood pressure only
• D. Temperature

Answer: (A)

SpO2 monitoring with pulse oximetry is the primary safety measure during oxygen therapy. It gives a continuous, noninvasive readout of how well oxygen is getting to the tissues by showing the percentage of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen. Keeping SpO2 within the patient’s target range helps prevent two risks: hypoxemia if readings fall too low, and oxygen toxicity if readings stay too high. This reading directly guides how much supplemental oxygen to give, so you can titrate FiO2 appropriately.

While other measurements like blood glucose, blood pressure, or temperature are important for overall patient status, they do not reflect the safety of oxygen delivery. SpO2 specifically shows the effectiveness of oxygenation and is the most relevant parameter to monitor and adjust during therapy.