Discuss how careful observation and assessment of waveforms during mechanical ventilation can provide useful information for the clinician.

What will be an ideal response?


Waveforms can assist the clinician in the detection of inadvertent PEEP, the patient's ventilatory work, resistance and compliance changes as well as many other events or changes. Some ventilators are able to present pressure versus volume waveforms to assist in minimizing the patient's work of breathing. Still other ventilators can present flow versus volume waveforms, to aid in the assessment of bronchodilator therapy during mechanical ventilation and the assessment of airway obstruction. As waveforms become widely used, their usefulness will approach that of the ECG tracing in the assessment of the heart.

Health Professions

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Indicate whether the statement is true or false

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