Resp Care
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Increased stress, burnout, and lack of job satisfaction may contribute to a decline in work performance, absenteeism, and intent to leave one's job or field. We undertook to determine organizational, job-specific, and personal predictors of level of burnout among respiratory care practitioners (RCPs). We also examined the relationships among burnout, job satisfaction (JS), absenteeism, and RCPs' intent to leave their job or the field. ⋯ Reduced job stress, increased job independence and job control, improved role clarity, and higher levels of JS were all associated with lower levels of burnout. Managerial attention to these factors may improve patient care and reduce absenteeism and turnover among RCPs.
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Transportation of critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients from intensive care units for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures has become common in the last decade. Maintenance of adequate oxygenation and ventilation during transport is essential. We evaluated the Impact Uni-Vent 750 portable ventilator in the laboratory and in the clinical arena to determine its usefulness during inhospital transport. ⋯ The Uni-Vent 750 is a reliable transport ventilator, capable of maintaining adequate oxygenation and ventilation in a majority of mechanically ventilated patients. The Uni-Vent 750's ability to (1) provide CMV, AMV, and SIMV; (2) provide low and high pressure alarms; and (3) provide PEEP compensation is unique among portable ventilators.