What is the consequence of placing oxygen last in the flowmeter sequence?

Placing oxygen last in the flowmeter sequence is significant for maintaining patient safety and ensuring effective gas delivery. By ensuring that oxygen is the last gas in the sequence, the risk of delivering a hypoxic mixture is greatly reduced. This arrangement prevents the mixing of oxygen with other gases in such a way that could lower the overall oxygen concentration in the delivery system.

Combining different gases inappropriately can lead to a situation where the patient receives an insufficient amount of oxygen, resulting in hypoxia, which is a critical condition. Delivering oxygen at the end of the sequence guarantees that the gas the patient inhales remains rich in oxygen, thereby optimizing respiratory support for patients, especially those in serious medical conditions requiring supplemental oxygen.

While the other potential consequences may seem related, they do not specifically address the critical matter of patient safety in gas delivery, which is the primary concern in medical settings. Therefore, reducing the risk of a hypoxic mixture is a crucial practice in respiratory therapy.