Full face mask bipap

[divaRN*]

In the near future, my hospital will be trialing a new bipap mask. Instead of coving the nose and mouth it will cover the entire face. I saw one and it looks like something out of star wars. My first concern was how patients would respond to this. From my experience the majority of them do not like the masks we already have and I can not imagine them liking a full face mask. My other concern was about eyes. Patient's mouths get very dry from being on bipap. What will happen to the eyes with the full face mask? Also will the pressure have a negative effect on vision? Has anyone used these yet? What are your thoughts? Do patients like them? Thanks for the input!

[BacktoBasics]

i've never heard of them before but i can just imagine the

consequences. what is the purpose of this mask? does it provide a greater seal? the most important factor i’m concerned about is that ocular pressure that can cause damage as well as vagal nerve stimulation.

[divaRN*]

Supposedly it reduces the number of HAPUs. No pressure on the bridge of the nose. Its all about the numbers

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I've never seen a bipap mask that covers the eyes. Crazy. We have the nose ones for cpap that are like what people use at home, and masks that cover the nose and mouth as a last ditch effort before intubating someone. Do you have a link to this product? I want to check it out.

[divaRN*]

Im not sure if this is the brand we are using but you can get an idea of what it looks like

http://www.directhomemedical.com/masks-cpap-bipap/fitlife-fullface-cpap-mask-respironics-mylife.html

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Im not sure if this is the brand we are using but you can get an idea of what it looks like

http://www.directhomemedical.com/masks-cpap-bipap/fitlife-fullface-cpap-mask-respironics-mylife.html

Wow, that looks terrible.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I agree with PP's, that looks awful.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I agree with PP's, that looks awful.

Beats the heck out of being intubated, though. There has to be some pretty significant impairment in ventilation to require BiPAP in the first place. ABCs ... always.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Beats the heck out of being intubated, though. There has to be some pretty significant impairment in ventilation to require BiPAP in the first place. ABCs ... always.

Nursing common sense aside, thank you very much, it is painfully difficult to get a patient to wear the standard mask, let alone one that suffocates even your eyes.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Before becoming an RN, I worked at a DME.. Pts actually preferred the full mask. It was easier to put on, less air leaks as well as less pressure around the nose and mouth..

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Beats the heck out of being intubated, though. There has to be some pretty significant impairment in ventilation to require BiPAP in the first place. ABCs ... always.

Patients get sedated when intubated. Most of the patients I see on bipap struggle to breath, always anxious, and aware of the gravity of their illness. They almost always still end up intubated unless a DNI.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I'm well aware that wearing a BiPAP mask can suck; however, a lot of patients can get turned around on BiPAP. If you're not experiencing this, and "most" are ending up intubated anyway, you might explore your unit's use of small doses of Ativan and/or Morphine to control anxiety and see if your outcomes improve. In my experience, many patients fall alseep while on BiPAP, because the intensity of the work of breathing is quickly relieved. I would consider an outcome of intubation because the patient couldn't tolerate the BiPAP mask to be a failure.

The risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and/or extended recovery time from a period of continuous sedation is no picnic either.