High pressure
- Bag the patient if unstable; assess resistance/compliance.
- Check tube obstruction/kink/biting, bronchospasm, pneumothorax, mainstem, dyssynchrony, and auto-PEEP.
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Vent control
Alarms and waveforms
Alarms are clues, not diagnoses. Pair the alarm with the patient, the tube, and the waveform.
Low volume / disconnect
- Check circuit, cuff leak, tube position, disconnection, and ventilator setup.
Waveform clues
- Flow not returning to baseline suggests air trapping.
- Scooped expiratory flow suggests obstruction.
- Pressure-time/waveforms help distinguish mode, synchrony, and mechanics.