Match an adult, pediatric, resuscitation, or newborn context to a guideline-referenced SpO₂ target. Each result shows its source, scope, and exclusions so incompatible pathways are not blended into one generic range.
This is not an oxygen prescription.
A clinician-ordered target, disease-specific protocol, or specialist-directed range supersedes this reference.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Pulse-oximetry check
0/3Most hospitalized adults
SpO₂ 94–98%
PaO₂ 70–100 mm Hg in the AARC reference table
Applies when
Adults requiring supplemental oxygen when no more specific disease, protocol, or prescribed target supersedes the general acute-care range.
Important boundary
This is not a universal normal range for every disease state and should not override a patient-specific oxygen order.
Clinical context
Use the lowest oxygen exposure that maintains the selected clinical target, and reassess the patient rather than the number alone.
Measurement caution
3 reliability items remain unchecked. If the value is unexpected or clinical concern persists, confirm signal quality and consider arterial saturation, blood gas, or co-oximetry as appropriate.
Use an individualized pathway instead when:
Oxygen targets balance hypoxemia against unnecessary hyperoxemia, but the relevant balance changes with carbon dioxide retention, ARDS protocols, reperfusion injury after cardiac arrest, pediatric evidence, and normal newborn transition. That is why this tool keeps each source pathway separate.
Pulse oximetry estimates arterial oxygen saturation. It does not measure PaCO₂, pH, work of breathing, oxygen delivery, or tissue perfusion. A reassuring saturation can coexist with worsening hypercapnia or ventilatory failure.
Open the ABG Analyzer →The ARDSNet oxygenation range belongs with the complete lung-protective ventilation and PEEP/FiO₂ workflow. It should not be extracted as a universal bedside saturation target for every patient labeled with ARDS.
Open the ARDSNet Assistant →An acute-care SpO₂ target is not the same as qualification for long-term oxygen therapy or an ambulatory oxygen prescription. Those decisions use separate testing, eligibility criteria, and reassessment pathways.
Review the COPD oxygen guide →The FDA notes that pulse oximeters have limitations and may perform differently across skin pigmentation. Accuracy can also be affected by low perfusion, motion, ambient light, dyes, nail polish, severe anemia, and dyshemoglobinemias. Use the waveform, clinical assessment, and confirmatory measurement when the displayed number is uncertain.
FDA pulse-oximetry updateThe AARC adult acute-care oxygen guideline supports an SpO₂ range of 94% to 98% for most adults receiving supplemental oxygen. Diagnosis-specific protocols and patient-specific prescriptions can supersede this general range.
The AARC guideline supports an SpO₂ range of 88% to 92% for adults with COPD requiring oxygen and describes the same range for critically ill adults with carbon dioxide retention. Blood gases and the full clinical picture remain important because SpO₂ does not measure ventilation or PaCO₂.
The referenced ARDSNet protocol uses an SpO₂ target of 88% to 95% or a PaO₂ target of 55 to 80 mm Hg. This is a protocol-specific pathway and should not be substituted for every patient with hypoxemia.
The 2025 American Heart Association guideline recommends 100% inspired oxygen until SpO₂ or PaO₂ can be measured reliably. Once reliable measurement is available, it is reasonable to target SpO₂ 90% to 98% or PaO₂ 60 to 105 mm Hg.
The AARC pediatric acute-care oxygen guideline supports an oxygenation target of 90% or greater for hospitalized pediatric patients with bronchiolitis. It does not recommend one universal target for other pediatric respiratory diseases.
During neonatal resuscitation and transition, preductal SpO₂ is measured from the right hand or wrist. The 2025 AHA/AAP neonatal algorithm provides time-specific targets beginning at 2 minutes after birth.
Source set reviewed August 29, 2026. Numeric targets are drawn from organization-published guidance or official protocol documents.
For education and clinical decision support only. This tool does not prescribe oxygen, determine an oxygen-delivery device or flow, diagnose hypoxemia, replace a clinician order, or supersede institutional protocols. No patient information or selections are stored.