Revised 8/26
RTH 236 - Critical Care Monitoring (3 CR.)
Course Description
Focuses on techniques and theory necessary for the evaluation and treatment of the critical care patient, especially arterial blood gas and hemodynamic data. Explores physiologic effects of advanced mechanical ventilation. Lecture 2 hours per week. Laboratory 3 hours per week. Total 5 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
The primary focus of the course is to prepare the student to use advanced monitoring and mechanical ventilation techniques and to evaluate and integrate the data into the patient care plan.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisites: RTH 135 and RTH 296.
Course Objectives
Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:
- Adjust mechanical ventilators to achieve physiological goals for oxygenation and ventilation.
- Develop and implement a respiratory care plan to facilitate liberation from mechanical ventilation.
- Interpret common flow, volume, and pressure waveforms seen during mechanical ventilation.
- Apply the assessment of oxygen, ventilation and pulmonary mechanics and the application of the values obtained in bedside decision-making.
- Implement advanced techniques of mechanical ventilation in both invasive and non-noninvasive ventilation.
- Apply and interpret Capnography values and graphics.
Major Topics to Be Included
- Clinical application of ventilation graphics
- Basic and advanced pulmonary mechanics during mechanical ventilation
- Advanced ventilatory techniques including volume-assured pressure support, proportional assist ventilation, airway pressure release ventilation, tracheal gas insufflation, independent lung ventilation and NIPPV
- Capnography application and graphics