Pulmonary
Mechanical Ventilation Clinical Guide
This clinical guide will show you how to start your patients on mechanical ventilation, optimize the settings once they’re on it, and wean them when it’s no longer necessary. Many clinicians are nervous to adjust ventilators, but it’s really not that complicated with the right training. Whether you’re new to ventilation or want to brush up your skills in fine-tuning the ventilator, you’ll discover clinical pearls to help your patients to survive, recover, and thrive.
How to survive your first night on call
The articles in this chapter are designed to give you the tools you need to help you survive your first night with a patient on a mechanical ventilator. You’ll discover the what and why of mechanical ventilation, initial settings and modifications, and how to modify your initial settings to make sure that the patient is receiving adequate support.
- So, what is a mechanical ventilator, and when is it needed?
- Assist-control (AC) and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) modes
- Volume versus pressure control
- What are the initial settings for assist-control (AC) volume control ventilation?
- Modifying ventilator settings based on arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) levels
- Modifying ventilator settings based on arterial oxygen (PaO2) levels
- Modifying ventilator settings based on pressure readings
- Case study: Initial settings and initial modifications