Table 2.
Factors considered in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients and the maintenance of ventilators
| Characteristics | Values, n (%) |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic tool used to initiate treatment | |
| Arterial blood gas | 28 (38) |
| Chest imaging | 4 (5) |
| Clinical presentation | 40 (54) |
| All of the above | 2 (3) |
| Available protocols | |
| HFNC | 25 (34) |
| NIV | 32 (43) |
| IMV | 60 (81) |
| COVID-19 guidelines used | |
| Local guideline | 34 (46) |
| National guideline | 40 (54) |
| WHO | 46 (62) |
| AARC | 36 (49) |
| NICE | 7 (10) |
| ANZICS | 5 (7) |
| SCCM | 19 (26) |
| Initial ventilation strategy based on severity | |
| Mild | |
| HFNC | 42 (57) |
| NIV | 15 (20) |
| IMV | 8 (11) |
| Moderate | |
| HFNC | 13 (18) |
| NIV | 23 (31) |
| IMV | 32 (43) |
| Severe | |
| HFNC | 1 (1) |
| NIV | 0 |
| IMV | 69 (93) |
| Ventilator management | |
| Suctioning system used | |
| Open | 2 (3) |
| Closed | 72 (97) |
| Ventilator system check | |
| As needed | 24 (32) |
| Every 1–2 h | 2 (3) |
| Every 2 h | 6 (8) |
| Every 4 h | 42 (57) |
HFNC – High-flow nasal cannula; NIV – Noninvasive ventilation; IMV – Invasive mechanical ventilation; WHO – World Health Organization; AARC – American Association for Respiratory Care; ANZICS – The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society; SCCM – The Society of Critical Care Medicine; NICE – National Institute for Health & Care Excellence