A physician is using a pressure support protocol to wean a patient off ventilatory support. The patient is now at a 5 cm H₂O pressure level and has a spontaneous respiratory rate of 21/min. Other cardiovascular and respiratory signs indicate that the patient remains stable. Which of the following actions would you recommend at this point? A) Switch the patient to 5 cm H₂O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) through the endotracheal tube. B) Extubate the patient and provide supplemental O₂. C) Switch the patient to intermittent mandatory ventilation at a rate of 2/min. D) Decrease the pressure support level to 3 cm H₂O.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In general, patients who can spontaneously breathe comfortably at this level of pressure support can be extubated without problems.

A Physician Is Using a Pressure Support Protocol to Wean