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A patient is on the ventilator and a high-pressure alarm sounds. The nurse should assess for which of these possible causes for the alarm?

A.

The patient may need suctioning

B.

The patient extubated himself

C.

The ventilator tubing may be disconnected.

D.

The cuff at the end of the endotracheal tube is deflated.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

A. The patient may need suctioning:
A high-pressure alarm indicates increased resistance to airflow, which could be caused by secretions or mucus in the airways. Suctioning is the appropriate intervention to clear the airways of excess secretions, reducing airway resistance and preventing the high-pressure alarm.

B. The patient extubated himself:
If the patient extubates himself (removes the endotracheal tube), this may result in a low-pressure alarm, not a high-pressure alarm. The low-pressure alarm is triggered when there is a loss of pressure within the ventilator circuit due to disconnection or extubation.

C. The ventilator tubing may be disconnected:
If the ventilator tubing is disconnected, it is more likely to trigger a low-pressure alarm, indicating a loss of pressure in the ventilator circuit. This is not the primary cause of increased resistance seen with a high-pressure alarm.

D. The cuff at the end of the endotracheal tube is deflated:
A deflated cuff can lead to air leakage around the endotracheal tube but is not the primary cause of increased airway resistance seen with a high-pressure alarm. It may cause a low-pressure alarm if cuff pressure is monitored.
 


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Related Questions

Correct Answer is ["100"]

Explanation

Clindamycin is an antibiotic that can treat infections caused by staphylococci bacteria. It can be given by intermittent IV bolus, which means injecting the drug into a vein over a short period of time. To calculate the infusion rate for clindamycin, we need to use the formula:

Infusion rate (ml/hr) = Volume (ml) / Time (hr)

In this case, the volume is 50 ml and the time is 0.5 hr (30 min). Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

Infusion rate (ml/hr) = 50 ml / 0.5 hr

Infusion rate (ml/hr) = 100 ml/hr

Therefore, the nurse should set the IV pump to deliver 100 ml/hr of clindamycin.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A. PEEP decreases the peak respiratory pressures:
PEEP may increase peak respiratory pressures, especially during inspiration, but its primary purpose is to prevent alveolar collapse and improve oxygenation.

B. “PEEP increases the number of breaths the patient takes on his own.”:
PEEP does not increase the number of breaths the patient takes. It primarily affects the quality of ventilation by preventing alveolar collapse.

C. “PEEP augments the patient’s overall tidal volumes.”:
PEEP does not necessarily increase overall tidal volumes. It focuses on maintaining positive pressure at the end of expiration to prevent alveolar collapse.

D. “PEEP improves oxygenation by keeping alveoli open after exhalation.”
Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is used in mechanical ventilation to maintain positive pressure in the airways and alveoli at the end of the respiratory cycle (expiration). This helps prevent alveolar collapse and improves oxygenation by keeping the alveoli open, particularly in patients with conditions like acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). PEEP is commonly used to increase functional residual capacity (FRC) and improve oxygenation.

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