Role of a nurse in caring patient on ventilator
Monitoring the patient's respiratory status.
Keep an eye on any equipment required by the patient, including ventilators and monitoring equipment, and to respond to monitor alarms.
Notifying the respiratory therapist when mechanical problems occur with the ventilator, and when there are new physician orders that call for changes in the settings or the alarm parameters
The nurse is responsible for documenting frequent respiratory assessments.
There should be a manual resuscitation bag at the bedside of every patient receiving mechanical ventilation, so they can be manually ventilated if needed.
The ventilator tubing should be changed every 24 hours and another self-test run afterwards.
The bacteria filters should be checked for occlusions or tears and the water traps
Humidifier should be filled with water required
Heating level is adjusted so that inspired gas is at 37 degrees
Water should be drained as it accumulates in tubing (heated wire circuit)
Proper alarm setting
Maintaining correct tube placement
Maintaining proper cuff inflation
Monitoring oxygenation and ventilation
Maintaining tube patency and patent airway
Maintaining oral care , nasal care and skin integrity
Fostering comfort and communication
Suctioning pulmonary and oral secretions
Suction pressure should be maintained bctween -80 and -120cmHg.
Limiting the duration of each pass should be less than 10 seconds and number of pass to be limited to 3-4.
Instillation of normal saline may contribute to the development of hypoxerma and colonization
Sedation & neuromuscular blockade as required
Sedatives
Neuroleptics
Analgesics
Paralytics
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