May 18, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

RESP 206 - Clinical Applications and Concepts in Critical Care I


PREREQUISITES: Maintain required clinical and health documents. RESP 104 - Concepts in Adult Critical Care  and RESP 108 - Clinical Applications in Advanced Assessment and Care of a Cardiopulmonary Patient  and Program Chair Approval
PROGRAM: Respiratory Therapy
CREDIT HOURS MIN: 2
CLINICAL APPLICATION HOURS MIN: 10
DATE OF LAST REVISION: Fall, 2020

Provides supervised experience in critical care intensive care units. Advanced patient assessment, including pulmonary mechanics, interpretation of laboratory data and radiography results will be covered. Students will be expected to initiate, maintain and manage an artificial airway, support a critically ill patient’s oxygenation and ventilation status to include initiating and modifying noninvasive positive airway pressures. Utilizes disease protocols and evidence-based medicine to modify respiratory care plans. Assists physician in selected procedures. Continued Certification in AHA-BLS for Healthcare Professionals is required.

MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: FROM 2020 NBRC MATRIX: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be expected to:

  1. Retain knowledge, skill and competencies from pre-requisite courses.
  2. Evaluate data in the patient record:
    1. Blood gas analysis and/or hemoximetry (co-oximetry) results
    2. Imaging study results (chest radiographs, CT scan, Ultrasonography and/or echocardiography, PET scan, Ventilation/Perfusion scan)
    3. Trends and monitoring of ventilator liberation parameters
    4. Determination of a patient’s pathophysiological state
  3. Perform clinical assessment by auscultation of heart sounds and rhythm
  4. Perform clinical assessment by chest radiograph:
    1. Quality of imaging (patient position, penetration, lung inflation)
    2. Presence and position of airways, lines and drains
    3. Heart size and position
  5. Perform procedures to gather:
    1. Mechanics of spontaneous ventilation (tidal volume, minute volume, MIP, MEP, and vital capacity)
    2. Blood gas sample collection
    3. Cardiopulmonary calculations (PA-aO2, VD/VT, P/F, OI)
    4. Spontaneous breathing trial (SBT)
    5. Apnea test (brain death determination)
    6. Cuff management (tracheal tube and laryngeal)
  6. Evaluate procedure results:
    1. Mechanics of spontaneous ventilation (tidal volume, minute volume, MIP, MEP, and vital capacity)
    2. Blood gas analysis/hemoximetry (co-oximetry)
    3. Cardiopulmonary calculations ((PA-aO2, VD/VT, P/F, OI)
    4. Cuff management (tracheal tube and laryngeal)
  7. Troubleshooting and assembling of equipment:
    1. CPAP/NPPV with patient interfaces
    2. Intubation equipment
    3. Artificial airways
    4. Patient breathing circuits
  8. Maintain a patent airway and care for artificial airways
    1. Proper patient positioning
    2. Recognition of a difficult airway
    3. Establish and manage a patient’s airway:
      1. Nasopharyngeal
      2. Oropharyngeal,
      3. Esophageal Tracheal tubes/supraglottic airways
      4. Endotracheal tubes
      5. Tracheostomy tube
      6. Laryngectomy tube
      7. Devices to assist with intubation (endotracheal tube changer, video laryngoscopy)
    4. Exchanging artificial airway
  9. Support oxygenation and ventilation:
    1. Minimizing hypoxemia via patient positioning and suctioning
    2. Initiating and adjusting mask or nasal CPAP
    3. Initiating and adjusting mechanical ventilation settings
      1. Continuous mechanical ventilation
      2. Noninvasive ventilation
      3. Alarms
  10. Administers medications and specialty gases via endotracheal (instillation)
  11. Ensures modifications are made to the respiratory care plan
    1. Terminates treatment based on life threatening adverse events
    2. Recommendation for changes:
      1. Starting treatment based on patient response
      2. Adjusting of electrolyte therapy
      3. Insertion or change of artificial airway
      4. Liberating from mechanical ventilation
      5. Extubation
      6. Discontinuing treatment based on patient response
      7. Consultation for a physician specialist
      8. Changing patient position
      9. Changing mechanical ventilation parameters and settings
  12. Utilizes principles of evidence based medicine principles or clinical practice guidelines:
    1. Classification of disease severity
    2. Recommendation for changes in therapeutic plan when indicated
    3. Application of guidelines (ARDSnet, NAEEP, GOLD)
  13. Assist a physician/provider in performing procedures a. Intubation b. Withdrawal of life support


COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include -  

  • Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
  • Noninvasive monitoring of the cardiopulmonary system (ECG)
  • Managing patients in critical care
  • Establishment, maintenance of artificial airways
  • Applications and manipulations of invasive mechanical ventilation
  • Therapeutic modalities in critical care settings
  • Quality control procedures (ABG, POC, Mechanical Ventilators)
  • Advanced patient assessment, including interpretation of laboratory and clinical data and recommendations of appropriate therapeutic interventions

PROCEDURES:

  1. Arterial Line ABGs
    1. Suggested that students continue ABG stick competency per semester in critical care
  • Assisting with Intubation
  • Mechanical Ventilation Initiation
  • Mechanical Ventilation Rounds
  • Ventilation Liberation Parameters
  • Adult Inline Suctioning
  • Endotracheal Tube Care (Securing airway, Cuff management)
  • Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV)
    TOTAL PROCEDURES: 8

 
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)