Nursing · Critical Care

Critical Care Nursing: Ventilators and Sedation

Ventilator mode basics, sedation scale use, and ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle concepts for the ICU nurse.

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What does "tidal volume" refer to in mechanical ventilation?
The volume of air delivered in one breath.
What does PEEP stand for?
Positive End-Expiratory Pressure.
What is the main purpose of PEEP?
To keep alveoli open at the end of exhalation and improve oxygenation.
In Assist-Control (AC) mode, what happens when the patient initiates a breath?
The ventilator delivers a full preset tidal volume or pressure.
What triggers a mandatory breath in Assist-Control mode if the patient does not initiate one?
The set backup respiratory rate.
What does SIMV stand for?
Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation.
How does SIMV differ from Assist-Control for breaths above the set rate?
Extra breaths above the set rate are patient-driven and not fully supported to the set tidal volume.
What is Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV)?
A mode that assists spontaneous breaths with a preset level of pressure, without a set rate or volume.
In pure Pressure Support mode, who initiates every breath?
The patient.
What does FiO2 stand for?
Fraction of Inspired Oxygen.
What does plateau pressure measure?
The pressure applied to the alveoli during an inspiratory pause.
What plateau pressure level is generally considered a threshold for lung injury risk?
Above 30 cmH2O.
What is auto-PEEP?
Trapped air pressure in the lungs from incomplete exhalation before the next breath.
What does the I:E ratio describe?
The ratio of inspiratory time to expiratory time in a breath cycle.
What is a typical normal I:E ratio?
About 1:2.

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