Mechanical Ventilation refers to using the device – mechanical ventilator that assists a patient in breathing (ventilating) when he or she is unable to do so for some reason. It’s important to remember that artificial ventilation does not help the patient recover. Instead, it helps the patient to remain healthy while the drugs and therapies aid in their recovery. Mechanical Ventilation in ICU is one of the most common interventions. More than half of ICU patients are ventilated within the first 24 hours of admission; these patients have acute respiratory failure, compromised lung function, breathing difficulties, or a failure to protect their airway. Mechanical ventilation support comes in a variety of forms, each of which provides oxygen to the patient depending on pressure, flow, and volume. Mechanical ventilation, although life-saving, has been linked to life-threatening complications such as air leaks and pneumonia. Another major risk caused by mechanical ventilation is infection, as germs will reach the lungs through the artificial airway (breathing tube). The longer mechanical ventilation is needed, the greater the risk of infection, which peaks about two weeks. Another possibility is lung damage from over inflation or repeated opening and collapse of the lungs’ small air sacs (Alveoli).

Usually, mechanical ventilation in ICU id done at rates set between 12 and 20 breaths per minute, which are physiologically natural parameters; however, protective ventilation advice recommends rates of 20 to 35 breaths per minute (Kilickaya and Gajic 2013). Modern intensive care ventilators will synchronize the ventilator-delivered breaths with the patient’s involuntary breaths. If the patient takes a breath, the ventilator will sustain that breath rather than trying to replace it with its own. Ventilators may be programmed to administer obligatory, synchronized, or assisted spontaneous patient-initiated breaths in a number of ways.

Mechanical ventilation is performed for relatively short periods in operating theatres and for longer periods of time in intensive care units (ICUs). Patients on mechanical ventilation outside of the operating room are usually cared by intensive care nurses in coordination with the multidisciplinary team. As a result, these nurses must have a thorough understanding of respiratory mechanics, ventilation theory, and mechanical ventilation components. To avoid harm to patients on mechanical ventilation, continuous supervision, ongoing safety assessments, and awareness of the various methods used to manipulate physiological parameters are also needed. Continuous monitoring, ongoing safety assessment and knowledge of the variety of methods used to manipulate physiological parameters are also essential to prevent harm to patients on mechanical ventilation.