A neonate with a poor start is announced, and you are asked to prepare the ventilator. The child is resuscitated with mask and balloon ventilation and requires acute respiratory support. What if you could start CPAP immediately upon resuscitation and not have to interrupt CPAP once the child goes to the ward?
In this blog, we describe a workflow that benefits both you and the patient.
What do you need?
To follow this setup, you need the following:
- a handy ventilator that can provide CPAP as well as ventilation and possibly High Flow;
- an oxygen cylinder on the internal transport incubator or on the trolley of the ventilator;
- a humidifier with the internal transport incubator or on the trolley of the ventilator;
- all further relevant monitoring and necessities of the patient during internal transport.
Workflow
The workflow consists of a number of steps that are taken after mask and balloon ventilation:
- The CPAP mask or prong is applied in the resuscitation room and connected to the ventilator.
- The ventilator is transferred to the internal transport incubator or travels along on a separate trolley. Then the child goes to the ward with internal transport.
- Once on the ward, the ventilator is placed stationary and remains with the child.
Advantage for the patient
Loss of PEEP or inspiratory pressures often causes a dip in the patient. The respiratory pressure must be built up again, the child needs to recover for a moment, and the saturation must return to the desired range. An advantage of this workflow is that the CPAP system remains continuously intact after balloon ventilation, with the same system and device. This prevents moments of pressure loss and has a positive impact on the patient’s recovery.
Advantage for the user
You use the ventilator optimally and build a routine. This ensures less stress in acute situations, for example during a night shift. You also work in a uniform manner with the hoses for ventilation and CPAP. This can also save costs, because you do not have to change the hoses.
In addition to this workflow, it is helpful if you can start the ventilator quickly and easily. A device that fits well into this method is the EVE Neo or the EVA Neo. This device makes its own compressed air, starts up in CPAP or ventilation with your preferred settings and works for several hours on battery.
