A patient arrives in the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident in which the patient sustained a deceleration chest injury.The patient was intubated in the field for airway protection.Physical assessment reveals that the patient is spontaneously breathing at a rate of 16 breaths per minute and breath sounds reveal bibasilar fine crackles at end inspiration.A second arterial blood gas was drawn while the patient was receiving 100% oxygen from an air entrainment large volume nebulizer. The most appropriate recommendation for this patient is which of the following?

Question

A patient arrives in the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident in which the patient sustained a deceleration chest injury.The patient was intubated in the field for airway protection.Physical assessment reveals that the patient is spontaneously breathing at a rate of 16 breaths per minute and breath sounds reveal bibasilar fine crackles at end inspiration.A second arterial blood gas was drawn while the patient was receiving 100% oxygen from an air entrainment large volume nebulizer.  The most appropriate recommendation for this patient is which of the following?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both the assessment and blood gas results reveal that the patient is spontaneously breathing.However,it appears that the patient is suffering from "air hunger." The blood gases reveal that the patient has refractory hypoxemia.With this information,the most appropriate recommendation would be to place the patient on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)with supplemental oxygen to improve the refractory hypoxemia by opening up atelectatic areas and maintaining them open.Since the patient is breathing spontaneously,mechanical ventilator breaths are not necessary.

A Patient Arrives in the Emergency Department Following a Motor