[walktheline]

Hi, Everyone:

Please forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between a respirator and a ventilator?

[caliotter3]

I've heard the terms used interchangeably. I think respirator is a little dated. Almost exclusively, I hear the term ventilator now.

[Sweetooth EMT-P, RN]

Respirator is no longer used since a machine cannot perform the act of respiration (look up the definition on wickpedia or another site), that is why a ventilator, which does just that and only that is now called a ventilator and not a respirator.

Sweetooth

[panamabrt]

you must 'ventilate' b/f respirations therefore the better terminology is ventilation. They are used interchangeably but again the ventilator has settings and one is the 'respiratory rate'.

Good luck