Understanding the Ventilator Screen

Although several different brands and types of mechanical ventilators are on the market, each one will provide fairly standard information such as flow, pressure, and volume, despite being presented differently on each screen. Interpreting ventilator waveforms, values, and graphics can be challenging and often overwhelming for the novice clinician. However, once the information is broken down into a few key take-home points, it can be easier to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of the mechanical ventilation being provided to your patient. Most ventilators will show the parameters set by the provider and the values reflecting the patient’s response in graphical and/or numerical form.