[The development of a bedside cart for the management of acute respiratory failure with non-invasive ventilation in Internal Medicine wards]

Recenti Prog Med. 2013 Mar;104(3):93-7. doi: 10.1701/1255.13855.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

In order to improve the organization of a General Medical ward without a real critical care area and to optimize treatment of patients with acute respiratory failure, we developed a cart for non-invasive ventilation to be used at the patient bedside. In the rear panel, we set two i.v. drip poles used for i.v. therapy and to hold two Venturi-like flow generators for continuous positive airway pressure. On the top, two ventilators are present, a smaller one (domiciliary) and a bigger one (intensive care unit ventilator). In the front panel, there are 4 drawers called "blood - drugs", "oxygenation", "CPAP", "ventilation", in which all the devices for ventilation, oxygenation, aerosol and medical therapy are easily and quickly available. The management of acute respiratory failure is simpler, easier and safer with this cart: each necessary device is immediately available, and this avoids wasting time. This bedside non-invasive ventilation cart, as far as the cardiac emergency cart, can be useful in general medical wards lacking a critical care area in order to improve interventions in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment and Supplies, Hospital*
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous / instrumentation
  • Internal Medicine
  • Medication Systems, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Noninvasive Ventilation* / instrumentation
  • Patients' Rooms
  • Point-of-Care Systems*
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / therapy*
  • Transportation / instrumentation*