An overview of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence & Practice    

An overview of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit

Zoe Joanne Elliot Advanced critical care practitioner, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Stuart Charlton Elliot Advanced critical care practitioner trainee, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

This article discusses the history, types and essential components of mechanical ventilation. It addresses the potential complications associated with mechanical ventilation and outlines the nurse’s role in the recognition and prevention of such complications. This article provides an overview of some of the advances in mechanical ventilation and emphasises the importance of patient safety through an awareness of the associated risks and limiting or avoiding mechanical ventilation where possible.

Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2018.e10710

Correspondence

Z.Elliot@nhs.net

Conflict of interest

None declared

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Acknowledgement

Nursing Standard wishes to thank Nicola Credland, lecturer in critical care and advanced practice at the University of Hull, for coordinating and developing the critical care series

Received: 05 October 2016

Accepted: 14 July 2017

Published online: 06 March 2018

Sign up to continue reading for FREE
SIGN UP

OR

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe
RCN student member? Try Nursing Standard Student
Already subscribed? Log in