etCO2 in sedation

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Hey everyone!

Im a singaporean nursing student doing my internship.

I noticed that etCO2 is monitored for patients on sedation and I'm not sure why... please help!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Welcome

Moved to the General Student discussion forum

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Specializes in NICU.
Hey everyone!

Im a singaporean nursing student doing my internship.

I noticed that etCO2 is monitored for patients on sedation and I'm not sure why... please help!

Ask one of the nurses you're working with?

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Informative, straightforward article on capnography:

5 things to know about capnography

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See if you can reason this out.

1) What IS etCO2? What is it measuring? Where does that CO2 come from, and what path does it take to get from the blood to the monitor?

2) What causes exhaled CO2 to increase? Decrease? Do we care about any of those things?

3) Do we specifically care about any of those things in people who are sedated? Why?

After you read that great little article, answer all three of these and you'll always know.

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