Ventilators Flashcards
What type of alarms?
- high pressure
2. low pressure
High pressure alarms mean…
the machine is having to push too hard to get air into the lungs
-increased resistance/pressure
Most common reasons for high pressure alarms…
HOLD
high=obstruction
- kinks—unkink it
- water condensing in dependent loops—empty it
- mucous secretions in airway—TCDB, suction
Rule for suctioning
ONLY AS NEEDED
when they aren’t able to clear it by TCDB
So…in what order would you assess an obstruction?
- unkink
- empty water
- TCDB
- suction
low pressure alarms mean…
the machine isn’t working hard enough…its too easy to get air into the lungs
-decreased resistance
Most common reasons for low pressure alarms…
HOLD
low=disconnections
- main tubing—reconnect (above waist)
- O2 sensor tubing—plug back in, black coated wire at site
If your patient is in respiratory alkalosis, what would you do to ventilator settings?
lower the settings
they are over ventilating, settings are too high
If you patient is in respiratory acidosis, what would you do to the ventilator settings?
turn up the settings
they are under ventilating, settings are too low
Doctor gives an order to wean patient off the ventilator in the AM, 6AM ABGs show your patient in respiratory acidosis…what do you do?
call the physician, hold order
-pt is under ventilating on the ventilator..do not want to take them off
Doctor gives an order to wean patient off the ventilator in the AM, 6AM ABGs show your patient in respiratory alkalosis…what do you do?
- follow order, wean ventilator
- pt is over ventilating with ventilator, so safe to decrease settings
If cause of the alarm cannot be found…
discontinue and manually vent your patient
When are ABGs reordered after setting change in weaning protocol?
1 hour after setting change
To prevent pneumonia on ventilators..
reposition q2, oral care q4, HOB 30
Hyperoxygenation prior to suction is used to…
prevent arrhythmias and oxygen desaturation
