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Determining the basis for a taxonomy of mechanical ventilation
Robert L Chatburn1, Teresa A Volsko, John Hazy
1Cleveland Clinic, OH, USA. chatbur@ccf.org
Respiratory Care
|October 19, 2011
Summary
A survey on mechanical ventilation modes found high concordance among healthcare professionals, suggesting a basis for standardizing terminology. This standardization could improve education and patient care quality.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Respiratory Therapy
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Mechanical ventilation technology has advanced significantly over 30 years.
- A large number of ventilation modes have emerged, complicating user education and potentially impacting patient care.
- Standardizing terminology is crucial for effective training and consistent clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess stakeholder familiarity with published mechanical ventilation mode constructs to establish a consensus basis.
- To test hypotheses regarding concordance levels on basic constructs, variations by professional background, and differences among constructs.
Main Methods:
- An internet-based survey was distributed to 2,994 professionals including physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses, and engineers.
- Statistical analysis, primarily chi-square tests, was used to evaluate hypotheses with a significance level of P < .05.
Main Results:
- A 15% response rate yielded data from 55% respiratory therapists and 35% physicians.
- An 82% concordance with 10 basic constructs was observed (P < .001).
- Respiratory therapists demonstrated the highest concordance (84%), while concordance varied significantly among survey questions (P < .001).
Conclusions:
- Survey respondents showed familiarity or amenability to existing literature constructs, providing a foundation for a formal taxonomy.
- The observed familiarity and concordance support efforts to standardize mechanical ventilation terminology.
- Further analysis of construct concordance patterns will guide future educational initiatives and consensus-building efforts.
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