194 Posts
First, it should be a transport ventilator. Ambu bags don't deliver consistent or comfortable ventilations and may cause a patient to deteriorate.
Secondly, if you wear lead, I wouldn't be particularly concerned about chest xrays. The amount of radiation received from the scatter off of a normal chest xray in minuscule anyway, if you wear lead that risk is pretty well negated. A CT is an entirely different kettle of fish, and depending on the study, can involve large amounts of radiation. However, my concern would be the potential for displacing the ETT considering the patient is on a moving table.
Lastly, who do YOU think should be doing the bagging? I'd reccomend getting with your diagnostic imaging department and getting a class on radiation safety for the nurses who might frequently be exposed.
902 Posts
194 Posts
Uhh no one should be, They should have a vent down there so you can hook the patient up to it so that no one is exposed. That is simply dangerous.
Not true, cath lab, specials and fluro and nuclear medicine techs are all work around MUCH higher levels of radiation all day long. It's about knowing how to do so safely. They need a vent, but for different reasons than "radiation is dangerous".
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Absolutely NO ONE should be bagging through a CT Scan, IR procedure or any extended exposure in the year 2011. Portable ventilators are affordable and easily transported. There should be a ventilator and a qualified person accompanying the patient and ventilator through the procedure.
There are 4 good reasons to use a ventilator that I can think of right now without really thinking hard.
1. Better control of infectious diseases through filters on the ventilator and distance placed between you and the patient.
2. Radiation exposure safety issues. Some work in busy centers and are also exposed in Nuclear Med and the cath lab as well as all the AM X-rays.
3. Less chance of inadverent tube dislodging. **
4. Reduce fluctuations in arterial blood gases. This has been well studied. **
**The patient's safety also has to be of concern.
For a quick X-ray, whoever is qualified to use the bag and has their hands free...and not pregnant. However, again, I stress there should be a ventilator available even in the ED. If a patient happens to code in radiology, we may get an X-ray before we leave and are not near a ventilator. However, even then that is rare and someone will get the portable ventilator to transport the patient to either the ED or ICU.
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Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN
514 Posts
Uhh no one should be, They should have a vent down there so you can hook the patient up to it so that no one is exposed. That is simply dangerous.