Mechanical ventilation provides life support for respiratory failure. Nurses must manage circuit loops and maintain safety settings.
Ventilator Alarms
- High-Pressure Alarm: Caused by increased resistance (kinked tubing, patient biting tube, secretions/mucus plug, coughing, bronchospasm). Action: Suction secretions, unkink tubing.
- Low-Pressure Alarm: Caused by loss of pressure (tubing disconnection, leak in the cuff, extubation). Action: Check circuit connections immediately.
Rule of Survival: If a ventilator alarm sounds and you cannot locate the cause, disconnect the patient and manually ventilate with a bag-valve-mask (Ambu bag).
