Blog

 Five minutes after extubating a patient, the respiratory therapist observes marked Inspiratory stridor, intercostal retractions, labored breathing and a decreasing  SpO2 value. Aerosolized racemic epinephrine has been administered with no effect. Which the following should the therapist recommend at this time?

When the ventilator only allows a breath every 5 seconds, it is operating under the  ___________ mode and the breaths are considered ________________.

A patient on a volume ventilator has refractory hypoxemia. Which of the following could help improve this patient’s oxygenation status?

These Curves were measured on a mechanically ventilated patient: Curve A was measured at 7 a.m. and Curve B was measured at 11 a.m. There was no change in delivered tidal volume between 7 and 11 a.m. Based on the graphs below, which of the following statements is true.          Compliance and Raw curve.png  

A 27 y/o, 58 Kg (130 lb) female is admitted to ICU after an emergency C-section. The patient is receiving mechanical ventilation via a volume control ventilator. The current ventilator settings are:  Mode      SIMV    VT        450 mL    Rate      14    FiO2       0.50 PEEP      5 cmH20The following laboratory data are available: pH       7.36PaCO2   44 mmHgPaO2     50 mmHgHCO3    22 mmHgSaO2     82%QT       4.5 L/min The therapist should recommend which of the following? 

Under conditions of changing compliance or airway resistance, the tidal volume delivered by a pressure-cycled ventilator is _____________; and the tidal volume delivered by a volume-cycled ventilator is ___________.

Which of the following are true regarding spontaneous modes?1.    The patient determines the rate2.    Apnea alarms and ventilation back-up mode should be set3.    The ventilator determines and controls the rate4.    The patient determines the tidal volume

What does the following pressure volume loop represent? PV loop Raw.jpg 

When a ventilator delivers a breath at a pre-determined time interval, the mechanical breath is  __________-triggered.

Mechanical ventilation is initiated with a pressure support of 10 cm H2O and a CPAP of 5. There is not a mandatory rate set.  Which of the following parameters would a therapist monitor in order to determine that the pressure support level is adequate?