An RT Is Called to the Emergency Department on New

Multiple Choice

An RT is called to the emergency department on New Year's Eve to assist in the treatment of a 5-year-old child pulled from under the ice of a local pond. When the child arrives, he has been intubated and has a weak, irregularly irregular pulse of 55 beats/min, no spontaneous respiratory effort, and a body temperature of 30° C. The normal practice in this hospital is to use heat-moisture exchangers (HMEs) for all mechanically ventilated patients. Which of the following should the therapist suggest for the ventilator setup?

A) Greater than normal rate and tidal volume
B) Higher than usual inspiratory flow rate
C) Heated humidity in place of the HME
D) Lower than normal rate and tidal volume