A patient presents to the ED who has a history of pulmonary emphysema is receiving 24% oxygen for the past 30 minutes. The patient’s PaCO2 increases from 45 mmHg to 48 mmHg and their PaO2 rises from 45 – 60 mmHg. Which of the following should the respiratory therapist do NEXT?
Read DetailsA home care patient calls the DME company for which you are employed and reports her oxygen concentrator has stopped working. You instruct her to switch over to her H-cylinder backup system until you are able to go make a home visit and check the oxygen concentrator. You ask the patient to read the pressure gauge so that you know how much time you have until the H-cylinder will be empty. It is reported the H cylinder reads 2000 psig and the patient uses 2.5 L/min/NC continuously. How long will the cylinder last?
Read DetailsA 59year old patient is in severe respiratory distress in the emergency department. The patient is being treated for CHF and pulmonary edema. VS are: HR 98 bpm, RR 23 bpm, B/P 138/98. The patient’s ABG’s on a NRB mask are as follows: pH 7.35, PaCO2 44 mmHg, PaO2 48 mmHg, SaO2 78%, and HCO3 23 mEq/L. The most appropriate action for the RT to do is which of the following?
Read DetailsA patient receiving continuous mandatory ventilation in the assist-control mode develops auto-PEEP. Which of the following changes in ventilatory patterns would you consider to minimize the effects of auto-PEEP in this patient?I. decreasing the rateII. using low-rate synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilationIII. decreasing the peak inspiratory flowIV. lowering the VT and letting the PaCO2 rise
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