Final answer:
Continuous supplemental oxygen is the appropriate treatment plan for the patient with chronic congestive heart failure, as they require oxygen supplementation to maintain SpO2 levels within the normal range while at rest.
Step-by-step explanation:
The appropriate oxygen treatment plan for a patient with chronic congestive heart failure, based on the provided SpO2 readings, would be continuous supplemental oxygen. This recommendation comes from the fact that without supplemental oxygen, the patient's SpO2 on room air while resting is 89%, which is below the normal range of 95-100% and reflects hypoxemia. However, with the administration of 2 L/min of oxygen via nasal cannula (NC), the patient's SpO2 improves to 95%, which is within the normal range. Providing oxygen on an as-needed basis is not indicated since the patient's resting oxygen saturation is persistently low without supplementary oxygen.
When evaluating a patient's oxygen needs, it's imperative to consider their percent saturation ("percent sat") of hemoglobin. The use of a pulse oximeter is standard in measuring this percentage, as it can determine the amount of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen and thus reflect the patient's oxygenation status adequately. In this scenario, the goal of home oxygen therapy would be to maintain SpO2 levels within the normal range to ensure adequate tissue oxygenation and prevent the detrimental effects of chronic hypoxemia on the patient's overall health.