SETTINGS, MODES & ALARMS OF MECHANICAL VENTILATOR
Ventilator Settings Ventilator settings are ordered by the physician and are individualized for each patient. Ventilators are designed to monitor many components of the patient’s respiratory status. Various alarms and parameters can be set to warn healthcare providers that the patient is having difficulty with the settings. Respiratory Rate (RR) The respiratory rate is the number of breaths the ventilator delivers to the patient each minute. The rate chosen depends on the tidal volume, the type of pulmonary pathology, and the patient’s target PaCO 2 . The respiratory rate parameters are set above and below this number and the alarm will then sound if the patient’s actual rate is outside of the desired range. (The following are guidelines.) For patients with obstructive lung disease, the rate should be set at 6-8 breaths/minute to avoid the development of auto-PEEP and hyperventilation, or “blowing off CO 2 ”. Patients with restrictive lung disease usually tolerate a range of ...