Which statement accurately reflects oxygen administration in EMS?

• A. Oxygen should not be withheld from a hypoxic patient.
• B. Oxygen should be withheld unless the patient asks for it.
• C. Oxygen is only for patients with pulmonary edema.
• D. Oxygen should always be given regardless of oxygen saturation.

Answer: (A)

Oxygen is a medication that must be given when there is hypoxia to ensure tissues receive enough oxygen. In EMS, you rapidly assess a patient’s oxygen saturation and signs of hypoxia, and you start supplemental oxygen promptly if there is true hypoxia. The goal is to maintain a target saturation (typically around 94% in most adults; lower targets like 88–92% in certain chronic lung disease) rather than letting oxygen delivery remain inadequate. Use the right device to achieve that goal: a nasal cannula for milder need, a nonrebreather mask for more significant hypoxia, and adjust flow to reach the target saturation while monitoring the patient.

That’s why the statement about not withholding oxygen from a hypoxic patient is the best answer. It reflects acting to correct a dangerous condition rather than waiting for the patient to ask or assuming oxygen is only for one condition like pulmonary edema, or giving it without regard to saturation. In some conditions, you don’t aim for 100% oxygen (for example, COPD with hypercapnia you may target a lower saturation), but the key principle remains: do not withhold oxygen when hypoxia is present.