During the weaning process, the nurse should assess the patient for an increase in respiratory and/or heart rates, use of accessory muscles, fatigue, and color changes because these findings may indicate the patient is not ready for extubation. An increase in pulmonary artery pressures can indicate an increase in PCO2 and give the nurse an early indication prior to arterial blood gas analysis that the patient is not ready for extubation. Early extubation is desirable but if parameters are not met and/or the patient is hemodynamically unstable, there may be detrimental effects of early extubation. - See more at: http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/journalarticle?Article_ID=638956#sthash.bVxDHL6e.dpuf