Respiratory care
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The assessment of diaphragmatic kinetics through tissue Doppler imaging (dTDI) was recently proposed as a means to describe diaphragmatic activity in both healthy individuals and intubated patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation. Our primary aim was to investigate whether the diaphragmatic excursion velocity measured with dTDI at the end of a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) was different in subjects successfully extubated versus those who passed the trial but exhibited extubation failure within 48 h after extubation. ⋯ In our setting, at the end of SBT, subjects who developed extubation failure within 48 h after extubation experienced a greater diaphragmatic activation compared with subjects who were successfully extubated. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT03962322.).
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High-frequency ventilation is commonly utilized with neonates and with children with severe respiratory failure. Both high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) are used extensively in neonates. HFJV can also be used in older, larger children. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the physiologic principles behind HFJV, examine the evidence supporting its use in neonatal and pediatric ICUs, give meaningful guidance for clinical application, and highlight potential areas for future research.
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Burnout is a major problem in health care, with rates of approximately 33% and 50% in nurses and physicians, respectively, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Respiratory therapist (RT) burnout rates and drivers have not been specifically examined. The purpose of this project was to determine resilience and burnout resources available within respiratory care departments and to provide an estimate of pre- and post-COVID-19 RT burnout rates. ⋯ Most respondents experienced burnout and few respiratory care departments measured burnout. Resilience resources were not commonly used but employee assistance and wellness programs were common. Key drivers of burnout identified were poor leadership, staffing, and high workloads.
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Editorial Comment
The Impact of COVID-19 on Respiratory Therapist Burnout.