Airway Management

ICU patients suffer from a broad range of pathologies, requiring MV, sedation and use of multiples devices, which do not allow patients to protect their airway (Augustyn. 2007; Kollef. 2004).

After assessing the victim?s airway, now you should check for breathing. To check for breathing, place your ear over the mouth looking toward the chest. This will allow you to listen for air movement, feel for air movement on your cheek, and look for chest rise. If the victim is breathing adequately, you should roll him or her on their left side. By doing so this puts them in the recovery position and permits him or her to breathe adequately. This also prevents aspiration if the victim vomits. If the victim is not breathing, give two breathes, watching for chest rise. Give breathes over a second, wait a second, then give another breathe. While doing so, you should not hyperventilate the victim.

Adequate qualified medical staff must be present in all critical care areas caring for mechanically ventilated

Jane’s asthma was acute severe. Initially to alleviate some of Jane’s breathlessness she was sat up right in the bed and supported with pillows to improve air entry. Due to her low oxygen saturations she was placed on 40% oxygen via Hudson mask (BTS 2006), as Jane was mouth breathing the mask was the appropriate device to use to ensure adequate oxygenation (Walsh 2002). According to Inwald et al (2001) hypoxemia is frequently a primary cause in numerous asthma related deaths. By administering oxygen promptly, for acute severe asthma, serious hypoxemia

When patients experience difficulty in breathing and need assistance, who would be there running to save them? Who’s got their back? Well, it’s none other than the mighty health care professionals who has the so-called Indian name: RUNS WITH AMBU BAG  or better known as respiratory therapists. It may sound funny but it’s true. These individuals are always ready when emergency situations arise.

One of the most important things to maintain a trauma patients airway is ensuring that you have adequate help around (Stephens, 2011). This is important because there are many different tasks that must be delegated in maintaining this persons airway. Some of these processes include opening the airway, suctioning the airway, inserting the proper adjunct, and maintaining

Throughout the placement of a chest tube, the patient should be assessed for complications of chest tube drainage and for re-expansion of the lung. A nurse should assess the lungs and the thorax for tracheal deviation, nonsymmetrical movement of the chest, emphysema, changes in the pattern of breathing, adventitious lung sounds, and presence of a pneumothorax (tympany).

The project aim was to propose the adaptation of a humidification device to offer comfort to patients who are on high flow oxygen therapy; and to provide in-service trainings to clinical staff. Fisher & Paykel humidifiers were chosen in the proposal as the company provides excellent support for staff; and my past experience has assured me that the equipment is reliable and simple to use for nurses.

In recent years respiratory therapy has gained a vast amount of recognition. According to "The Bureau of Labor Statistics", the employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow nineteen percent over the next seven years. Along with increasing advancements in technology and medical research, there is also an ever increasing demand for respiratory therapists worldwide. Breathing is something that every individual must do, however, there are sometimes altercations in doing so, and this is where respiratory therapy comes into effect. In order to learn more about this topic, I enrolled into a Writing and Research course at my college. Upon taking this course, I had the pleasure of shadowing a couple of respiratory therapists at

Breathing assistance- devices such as a ventilator improve upon a patients oxygen delivery, especially at night.

By entering the field of respiratory therapy, one is entering a growing field of opportunity. There are continually emergent job opportunities in this field whereas there is also a rise of growth in the technology and developments in the field such as medicines, techniques, and other aspects.

Upon arriving at the scene, the advanced care paramedic would begin the primary survey. All dangers would be assessed, including environmental dangers, animals, agitated bystanders and any other alarming cues. Once all dangers have been assessed the ACPs begin investigating the patient’s responsiveness using the acronym AVPU (QLD.gov.au, 2016). An assessment of their alertness, verbal response, response to painful stimuli or unconsciousness is completed. Once assessed, the patient’s airway is then checked to be clear of any obstructions to ensure proper respiration can occur, at this point, the triple airway manoeuvre would be adjusted to only the opening of the mouth and the jaw thrust (QLD.gov.au, 2015). If the patient complains of neck and back tenderness, neurological deficit, evidence of intoxication or a distracting injury (QLD.gov.au, 2016. 2) spinal immobilisation is required to ensure no further damage to the spinal cord occurs or an aid to keep the patient as calm as possible if a distracting injury (Hodegetts et al., 2011). The patient's breathing should then be assessed now that the spine in immobilised to ensure the depth, rate and rhythm of the breaths are adequate. If needed an oropharyngeal airway may need to be inserted into the mouth to keep the tongue from blocking the airway if it is tolerated (Higginson et al,. 2013). Lastly, in the primary survey, the

Respiratory therapists have one of the most exciting and gratifying careers within the medical field. Unfortunately as with any other job or career, it doesn’t come without having challenging times. Respiratory therapists work along-side physicians and are highly trained to treat patients with any sort of lung concern or breathing complications. This job requires hands on care, and deals with life and death daily. One specific scope of this field involves caring for patients (of all ages) attached to mechanical ventilation. It is the respiratory therapists’ responsibility to remove assistive ventilation to patients with written order from the doctor; which ultimately results in death of the patient (Keene, Samples, Masini, Byington).

The registered nurse (RN) will be the mentor and educator for the patients, family and the team. The licensed practical nurse (LPN) will collaborate with the certified nurse assistance (CNA) in the implementation of the air pressure overlay prior to patient’s arrival to the unit. The unit secretary will collaborate with the durable medical equipment (DME) department on stocking the equipment. The IDT will plan, review data concerning pressure ulcers, follow protocols, monitor the process progress, and evaluate the outcomes. Further, reports on ongoing progress and opportunities will be during shift change and daily huddle. Weekly, the team will meet and discuss the improvements, concerns. The team will also report on the patients and their family

In order to make sure that the victims airway is open,place your hand on the victims forehead and two fingers on their chin and tilt the head back slightly to open the airway.Look, listen, and feel for breathing. Get close enough to the victims face to listen if victim can breath by putting you ear close to the victims mouth. At the same time ,look if victims chest is rising up.Do that for ten seconds.If you do not feel the victims breath, or cannot see the chest rising after ten seconds, continue to the next step.