Care essential 6
Prevent hemodynamic
instability.
Monitor the patient’s blood pressure
every 2 to 4 hours, especially after
ventilator settings are changed or
adjusted. Mechanical ventilation
causes thoracic-cavity pressure to
rise on inspiration, which puts pressure
on blood vessels and may reduce
blood flow to the heart; as a
result, blood pressure may drop. To
maintain hemodynamic stability, you
may need to increase I.V. fluids or
administer a drug such as dopamine
or norepinephrine, if ordered.
High levels of inspiratory pressure
with PSV and PEEP increase
the risk of barotrauma and pneumothorax.
To detect these complications,
assess breath sounds and
oxygenation status often. To help
prevent these conditions, use the
lowest pressure level for ventilatordelivered
breaths and adjust the
level as tolerated.