Respiratory care
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Editorial Comparative Study
In Vitro-In Silico Comparison of Pulsed Oxygen Delivery From Portable Oxygen Concentrators Versus Continuous Flow Oxygen Delivery.
Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) deliver oxygen in intermittent pulses. The challenge of establishing equivalence between continuous flow oxygen and nominal pulse flow settings on different POCs is well known. In vitro bench measurements and in silico mathematical modeling were used to compare the performance of 4 POCs versus continuous flow oxygen by predicting the FIO2 at the trachea and entering the acini. ⋯ Significant differences in POC performance based on volume-averaged FIO2 were found between pulse flow and continuous flow oxygen, and among pulse flow modes in different POCs. Although pulse flow was a more efficient mode of delivery than continuous flow oxygen, continuous flow oxygen delivered a greater absolute volume of oxygen per breath.
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COPD screening guidelines in patients with HIV are lacking, and data about its under-diagnosis are still limited. This study aimed to determinate the feasibility of a case-finding program and the prevalence of COPD under-diagnosis in a large cohort of HIV-infected subjects. ⋯ COPD may be under-diagnosed in HIV-infected people, and case-finding programs are an urgent issue to address as part of routine practice in these individuals.
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Clinical facilities are essential components not only of health care delivery systems, but also of health care education programs. The clinical learning environment (CLE) is important in training the future health care workforce. Because respiratory therapy (RT) is a practice-based profession, it is essential to integrate clinical education into RT education. RT education programs face several issues with respect to the need for preparing a proper CLE in various clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of RT students on the CLE of clinical facilities affiliated with an RT program at an urban state university and to determine the impact of education level on student perception of the CLE of clinical facilities. ⋯ Education level influenced students' perceptions of the CLE of clinical facilities. Overall, respiratory therapy students rated their CLE experiences as positive and they were satisfied with the clinical instructor and team model.