TABLE 1.
Association between hospital/intensive care unit characteristics and the presence of mechanical ventilation protocols
| Characteristic | Protocol (n=9) | No protocol (n=15) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of hospital | ||
| University hospital | 89 | 60 |
| Community hospital with university-affiliation | 11 | 40 |
| Medical trainees present | 100 | 73 |
| Daily multidisciplinary rounds | 100 | 87 |
| RT coverage (24 h per day), % (n/n) | 100 | 100 (13/13) |
| RT students in-training | 100 | 87 |
| RTs and ventilator changes | ||
| Not responsible | 0 | 33 |
| Exclusively responsible | 33 | 20 |
| Jointly responsible with MD | 67 | 47 |
| Ratio of ventilated patients per RT, mean ± SD | 9.2±5 | 5.6±3 |
| Ventilated patients per RT, % (n/total n) | ||
| 1 to 5 | 25 (2/8) | 50 (7/14) |
| 6 to 10 | 50 (4/8) | 43 (6/14) |
| >10 | 25 (2/8) | 7 (1/14) |
| Ratio of ventilated patients per RN, mean ± SD | 1.6±0.5 | 1.5±0.5 |
| Ventilated patients per RN | ||
| 1 | 33 | 40 |
| 1.5 | 22 | 20 |
| 2 | 44 | 40 |
| Ratio of patients per MD, mean ± SD | 19.8±3 | 15.9±8 |
| Patients per MD, % (n/total n) | ||
| 1 to 10 | 0 | 29 (4/14) |
| 11 to 20 | 78 | 57 (8/14) |
| >20 | 22 | 14 (2/14) |
MD Medical doctor; RN Registered nurse; RT Respiratory therapist