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Vent control

Safety monitoring

Pair alarm settings with patient assessment, delivered breath data, and respiratory mechanics.

High pressure alarmPeak-versus-plateau pathway.Low volume alarmLeak, disconnect, tube, or interrupted breath.Trigger / timingDyssynchrony pathway.

Reassess

  • Delivered and exhaled VT expressed in mL/kg predicted body weight.
  • PIP trend, plateau pressure when valid, PEEP/auto-PEEP, and driving-pressure trend.
  • Flow returning to zero before the next breath, waveform EtCO₂, tube position, cuff pressure, SpO₂, gas exchange, and blood pressure.

Alarm principle

  • Individualize alarm thresholds to the patient and mode.
  • Do not silence or simply raise an alarm limit without confirming the intended breath is being delivered and identifying the cause.

Evidence and use limits

Last reviewed: 2026-07-17. Designed for: emergency medicine learners, clinicians, EMS, RT, and airway educators.

This is an educational cognitive aid, not a bedside order set. Confirm medications, ventilator changes, pediatric dosing, procedures, and escalation decisions against the patient’s physiology, the ventilator in use, and local ED/ICU/anesthesia/pharmacy/RT/EMS/pediatric policy.

Full references · Editorial policy · AARC 2024 ventilator assessment · ATS/ESICM/SCCM lung-protective ventilation · ATS 2024 ARDS update

About this resource
Created by: Andrew Pirotte, MD; Kyle Brown, MD; Reba Hodge, MD; Amanda Vanderwerf, PharmD, BCEMP; Morgan Kimball, PharmD, BCEMP; Joshua Mohess Clinical review: Emergency medicine faculty review completed. Medication content reviewed by Amanda Vanderwerf, PharmD, BCEMP, and Morgan Kimball, PharmD, BCEMP. Last reviewed: 2026-07-23 Next scheduled review: 2027-01-23 Designed for: EM residents, emergency physicians, EMS clinicians, airway educators, and simulation faculty Important: Educational resource and cognitive-aid guide only; not a bedside order set or substitute for local protocol, medical direction, or clinical judgment. Website contact: [email protected]