How to select an oxygen supply system for the nursing home?

Nursing homes mainly accommodate disabled, semi-disabled elderly people or patients in the recovery period. Due to weakened respiratory function, underlying cardiopulmonary diseases, or post-rehabilitation recovery needs, these groups often require long-term, continuous basic oxygen therapy—such as alleviating symptoms of hypoxia caused by respiratory failure and improving low blood oxygen levels due to cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Meanwhile, nursing staff are burdened with heavy daily care tasks and have limited time and energy, placing higher demands on oxygen supply equipment in terms of “ease of operation,” “low maintenance,” and “stability.”

Based on these practical needs, it is recommended to prioritize medium-sized molecular sieve oxygen generation units with an oxygen production capacity of 8-20 m³/h, combined with a centralized oxygen supply system. This setup delivers oxygen directly to each nursing bed via pipelines, eliminating the need for frequent oxygen cylinder handling. It not only reduces the extra workload of nursing staff but also avoids collision risks for the elderly or patients caused by moving oxygen supply equipment, while meeting the simultaneous oxygen demand of multiple beds.

Three key aspects should be focused on for equipment performance: First, long-term operational stability—the unit must support fault-free continuous operation for ≥24 hours to prevent oxygen therapy interruptions due to equipment shutdown and ensure the safety of the elderly. Second, extended maintenance cycles—core consumables (e.g., air filters, precision filter elements) should have a replacement cycle of ≥3 months, reducing the frequency of disassembly and maintenance and easing the equipment management pressure on nursing staff. Third, intelligent and user-friendly operation—the equipment must be equipped with real-time monitoring functions for oxygen concentration and output pressure, allowing nursing staff to easily track its status. Operation steps should be simplified (e.g., one-click startup, knob-type oxygen flow adjustment), enabling use without professional training. Additionally, remote abnormal alarm support is recommended (e.g., connecting to an audible and visual alarm device at the nursing station), ensuring nursing staff can promptly detect and address issues like substandard concentration or abnormal pressure, further enhancing the safety of oxygen therapy.