It is estimated that nearly half the time that patients spend on a mechanical ventilator occurs during the weaning process.

All patients requiring mechanical ventilation should receive regular assessment of discontinuation potential.

This assessment should include evidence that there has been some reversal of the underlying cause of respiratory failure, the adequacy of patient's ventilatory drive, gas exchange and hemodynamic stability.

Even patients who do not meet all conventional criteria for weaning potential may be candidates for spontaneous breathing trials.

This palm application was developed for the Queen Elizabeth Health Sciences Centre in Halifax , NS, Canada in accordance with the new Respiratory Therapy weaning protocol.

We thought we'd share it with other medical personnel to help proliferate this important procedure and protocol.

Please enjoy this complimentary application. Send us an email and tell us what you think and we will send you a registered version.