Question

The respiratory therapist is assisting in the elective intubation of a patient with myasthenia gravis in the ICU. While providing manual ventilation, the self-inflating resuscitation device becomes difficult to compress. Which of the following would the therapist do FIRST?

1) Check the inlet valve.
2) Check the patient valve.
3) Replace the manual resuscitation bag.
4) Check for excessive oxygen flow.

Answer 1

The respiratory therapist should first check the patient's valve if the self-inflating resuscitation device becomes difficult to compress during manual ventilation.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a respiratory therapist is assisting in the elective intubation of a patient with myasthenia gravis and finds that the self-inflating resuscitation device becomes difficult to compress, the first action would usually entail checking the device for potential malfunctions.

Since the device difficulty is related to compression, the therapist should first check the patient valve which is a common site for obstruction. If the patient valve is clear and the device is still not functioning properly, subsequent steps might include checking the inlet valve, considering replacement of the resuscitation bag, or checking for excessive oxygen flow.