Peer Reviewed, see below

Objectives for This Class

Before attending patients in a hospital setting, the Respiratory Therapist Student must learn the following components about Arterial Blood Gases:

1. Indications
2. Contraindications
3. Hazards
4. Risk-reduction practices
5. Patient monitoring
6. Sample collection method
7. Post-draw handling methods of sample handling
8. Sample transportation requirements
9. Sample analysis of Arterial Blood Gases from a human patient

There are Three Main Indications for Obtaining ABGs

• The need to evaluate the adequacy of ventilatory (PacO2) acid-base (pH and PaCO2), and oxygenation (PaO2 and SaO2) status, and the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood (PaO2, HbO2, Hb-total, and dyshemoglobins)
• The need to quantitate the patient's response to therapeutic intervention and/or diagnostic evaluation (e.g., oxygen therapy, exercise testing)
• The need to monitor severity and progression of a documented disease process.

For Contraindications, please review Lesson 1, which also shows the steps for obtaining, testing and reporting sample of human arterial blood.

Click on this button to     to First Lesson          

The Second Lesson provides an overview of Statistical Concepts for Quality Assurance of ABG Laboratories.

Click on this button to    to Second Lesson

Published to the Web on March 17, 2001 by Phil Finch, RRT.

Revised Oct., Nov.,   2004.

Graciously Peer Reviewed by:

• Tara ___, RN, CCRN at Providence Medford Medical Center
• Craig ___, RRT, at Providence Medford Medical Center
• Students of Respiratory Therapy at Oregon Institute of Technology

Photos by Phil Finch and Belin Harms.
Special thanks to the late Merry Dennison for technical assistance in actual ABG sampling.
A FinchWeb Project courtesy of FinchBook Publications.

Note: Content may be used for eduational purposes, provided credit is given to source(s).
Special thanks to the American Association for Respiratory Care and their original published site: Sampling for ABGs.
          See the revised site:   Blood Gas Analysis and Hemoximetry: 2001 Revision and Update.
See all the Clinical Practice Guidelines at this site: AARC Clinical Practice Guidelines

"Interested persons may copy the AARC Guidelines for noncommercial purposes of scientific or educational advancement. Please credit AARC and Respiratory Care Journal."