Chemical analysis shows that carbon monoxide is simply a gas that is colorless and odorless but very poisonous when it reaches its maximum and can lead to a sudden death due to the body’s lack of oxygen.
Overly, experts in gaseous response propose that carbon monoxide which emanates from motor vehicles, gas powered generators, fire, power washers, boats, charcoal grill, and other gas powered equipment can cause death when in sufficient supply within the ambient air (Ciottone, 2006).
Research findings suggest that the most at risk populations consist of the elderly, babies, infants, and people who suffer from chronic respiratory illnesses, anemia, and/or heart diseases (Landesman, 2005). In an event of carbon monoxide poisoning, hospital professionals should equip themselves with oxygen gas and resolve to consider carrying out hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO).
Educational scores in carbon monoxide positioning and related studies suggest that oxygen gas is a substantial remedy against carbon monoxide poisoning mainly because it relieves the patient of hypoxemia as it helps supply the heart with adequate oxygen capable of pumping blood to the other parts of the body (Veenema, 2007)
Aside from oxygen, healthcare professionals should also exhibit emergency preparedness in an event when a patient is brought in with Carbon Monoxide level above or between 25 and 30 percent.
In such circumstances, a patient may lose his or her life to cardiac involvement, neurological impairment, and/or prolonged unconsciousness (Hogan & Burstein, 2007). Generally, when healthcare professionals carry out a hyperbaric oxygen therapy and diagnose a patient with severe acidosis, cardiac disease, or transient unconsciousness, they should always consider the matter as an emergency case as the patient may die from these signs (Clements, 2009).
Just as clinicians suggest, harmful gases such as carbon monoxide pose significant challenges to people’s livelihoods and should always be treated with much haste as they cannot only impair the health of
the victim, but also lead to the consequent death of the affected person (Reilly & Markenson, 2011). Therefore, considering carbon monoxide poisoning as an emergency cannot be over-emphasized. The management team should ensure that there is proper installation of the carbon monoxide alarms, which can alert the concern to responsible individuals audibly. The hospitals should have a professional checker of all burning appliances. It is not wise to be using oven or range to assist in heating the hospitals. Charcoal burning in hospital should be out of bounds. Another caution is that cars should not be left running since; this will not supply required air in the milieu. Hospitals should develop extra decontamination rooms since it is not likely that pre-hospital personnel will manage to control all the contamination issues, the above will prevent hypothermia.
For seriously affected patients, application of chest radiography is recommendable particularly those showing signs of cardiopulmonary failure and lack of consciousness as they may require emergency services more than others may.
