What should a nurse do if a patient's oxygen saturation declines during bedside bronchoscopy?

When a patient's oxygen saturation declines during a bedside bronchoscopy, providing supplemental oxygen is an appropriate response. During such procedures, patients can experience variable oxygenation due to factors such as airway irritation, mucosal edema, or the effects of sedation. Administering supplemental oxygen can help quickly restore adequate oxygen levels to ensure patient safety and comfort.

In the context of bronchoscopy, maintaining optimal oxygen saturation is critical because a significant drop can lead to hypoxia, which may have serious consequences. By offering supplemental oxygen, the nurse acts to stabilize the patient's condition, allowing the healthcare team to assess the situation further and decide on the next steps regarding the continuation or modification of the procedure.

While encouraging deep breathing might help in some situations, it is less immediate and effective in addressing significant drops in oxygen saturation during such a procedure. Inspecting the bronchoscope or stopping the procedure immediately might be necessary in some circumstances, but those actions are typically not the first line of response to an acute decline in oxygen levels. The priority is to ensure that the patient has adequate oxygenation before addressing other aspects of the procedure.