Re:The U.S. tried to build a new fleet of ventilators
by jacquesm on Sunday March 29, 2020 @06:13PM
(#22723250)
So, just to reset your mental image of what a typical ventilator ICU setup looks like (don't click if you're squeamish):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EUNYuOuU4AApgBX?format=jpg&name=...
Still want to gamble on that 'narrow set of practices'?
Re:The U.S. tried to build a new fleet of ventilators
by yibg on Sunday March 29, 2020 @08:36PM
(#22724138)
Is that the typical setup for covid icu patients though? I imagine ventilators are used for all sorts of patients, some requiring much more involved care.
Re:The U.S. tried to build a new fleet of ventilators
by jacquesm on Sunday March 29, 2020 @09:34PM
(#22724430)
That's about as simple as it gets. This is a pediatric ICU ward, I just wanted a picture that shows you the essentials. It can get much more complex than that and not a whole lot simpler. Once you are intubated you are kept sedated (it's not exactly a pleasant experience) so you rely 100% on the world around you for your vitals and needs. Essentially you are in a controlled coma for the duration with all the difficulties that brings.
From what I’m reading the treatment of COVID19 seems to require a pretty narrow set of practices. Mostly around monitoring, administering of medication, ventilation / oxygen and general bedside care. If this is true can we not cross train adjacent areas like EMT, army medics etc fairly quickly to provide care? They don’t even need to perform diagnostics.