Clinical Education Materials

Educating Patients in Light of NAEPP Guidelines
By: Thomas J. Kallstrom, RRT
Asthma is a significant problem with more than 13.5 million outpatient visits per year, more than 445,000 hospitalizations, 1.2 million emergency room visits, 30.5 million prescriptions filled and over 5000 deaths. Had there been better education for these patients, likely the numbers would not have been so high.

BiPAP Vision Ventilator Testing with Various Patient Interface
By: Valley Inspired Products, LLC, Feb. 18, 2002
This test evaluated the effect of performing vs. not performing a leak test in combination with different exhalation ports and various mask interfaces.

Performance of Auto-Adjust Nasal CPAP Devices In a Simulation of Varied Patient Breathing
By: Peter Bliss, BME, Todd Eiken, RPSGT, Robert McCoy RRT
It's estimated that approx. 10% of NCPAP units sold in the US are 'auto adjust' systems, yet there is debate and controversy regarding the use and benefits. This study was designed to simulate, as accurately as possible, a patient's breathing pattern resulting from sleep related upper airway obstruction and compare four different units with regard to the presence of a variety of abnormal breathing patterns and response to a transition from abnormal to normal breathing.

Bacterial Surveillance and Cost-Effectiveness of the Common Canister Protocol When Using the Respironics OptiChamber
By: William V. Wojciechowski, MS, RRT, Howard C. Maddox, Amanda L. Moseley, University of South Alabama, Department of Cardiorespiratory Care
To reduce the cost of MDI medications, many respiratory therapy departments have implemented the common canister protocol (ccp). The ccp involves sharing a single MDI canister among multiple patients having their own holding chambers, rather than using individual MDI canisters for each patient.

This study had two purposes: (1) to investigate the potential for cross-contamination of MDI canisters while administering MDI medications among patients when using the Respironics OptiChamber with the ccp, and (2) to compare the cost-effectiveness of the ccp versus the cost of using individual MDI canisters for each patient.