New & Used Ventilator, Intensive Care

Tips for buying Ventilator, Intensive Care

1. All ventilators should offer assist/control and SIMV modes, and for volume and pressure breaths, they should provide CPAP/PEEP and pressure support.
2. The following measures should be monitored by the ventilators: airway pressure, respiratory rate, I: E ratio, and minute volume. Controls should be available for pressure level, tidal volume, breath rate, inspiratory time, FiO2, PEEP/CPAP, I: E ratio, pressure support, and sensitivity.
3. Visual and audible alarms should be available for inspiratory pressure low, CPAP/PEEP, minute volume, respiratory rate, gas supply loss, and power failure.
4. The ventilator should provide clear alarms. If users can adjust the alarm volume, they should not be able to turn it down so the alarm would be inaudible.
5. If the alarm condition is not corrected, the alarm silence feature must reactivate automatically within two minutes. If an alarm is silenced, a visual display should clearly indicate which alarm is disabled.
6. An O2 analyzer should be included with the ventilator to monitor the delivered O2 or O2/air mixture. The analyzer should include an alarm for concentrations outside acceptable ranges.
7. All controls should be clear with easy to understand functions. Misinterpretation of displays and control settings should not occur. Controls should be protected against accidental setting and sealed against fluid penetration.
8. Fluid spills should not affect patient and operator safety and system performance.
9. Ventilators with good human factors design are desirable in an environment where staff shortages and frequent employee turnover make formal training difficult. It is also recommended to standardize equipment to minimize retraining and confusion, and to get discounts for large quantities.
10. Different ventilators offer many features such as modes, variables monitored and controlled, and alarms. Facilities should evaluate these features to determine whether they are needed for a particular patient population and clinical setting.