Hey everyone!
Very recently I left MedSurg after 7 years for critical care. Thank goodness I have years of experience and knowledge of what "normal" assessments are. So far things are going very well. Titrating pressors, measuring CVP, working with A-lines, etc. are still very foreign to me but I understand what I'm doing and just need practice.
However...
I don't understand vent settings. I feel like when people try to explain them to me, they are speaking Bulgarian. I feel like a total moron because all I comprehend is FiO2. I write down the settings and pass them along, but I don't know what they mean!
Disclaimer...I've only had seven days in the unit and I'm still with a preceptor, of course, so I don't want anyone to think I'm caring for these patients on my own.
I just need someone to explain to me, in layman's terms even, what the heck the different vent settings mean. (AC? PSV? PEEP? PIP? IDK my BFF Jill?)
Thanks!