O2 safety

[nrcnurse]

We're all cautioned re O2 safety; no smoking in the home, no open flames, etc., with very good reason! What about petroleum based lip balm? Has anyone experienced igniting lips/O2 with lip balm? If my little actively dying lady has O2 and dry lips, I'm touching her up with a little lip stick, gloss, or vaseline. Amazing how a touch of cosmetics can perk up a pt attitude. But I've never had a fire hazard r/t lip balm, and owondered if it happened or if it is an urban myth. I don't want to g=be the first.

[saribeth]

I had investigated this a few years ago and the amount of petroleum in vaseline is very low compared to what it was years ago...so lather her up and make sure you have a fire extinguisher close by...just kidding:p

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

I've heard this too but never experienced it.

[Hal_Dol]

My Personal Experience:

Pt was bed bound with 2 LPM, across the room--20' away--Pt's husband was smoking a cigarette so to build trust I joined him. No problem; and he was using a 40' of tubing attached to his O2 generator set at 2.5 LPM.

What I Was Told:

Son of a pt was an ENT specialist. He related story of spending 2.5 hours cleaning remnants of beard, burns to nose and mouth only to have pt's family member arrive and say to pt: "George......not again!"