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10 Clinical Practices Key to Craig's Ventilator and Weaning Program

Craig's ventilator and weaning program continues as one of the largest specialty programs of its kind the U.S. with an average daily census of eight to 10 patients over the past five years.

According to Lonnie Martinez, manager of respiratory care, Craig's program has an excellent success rate of weaning patients off ventilators. Of the 85 percent of patients who are admitted with atelectasis, only 9 percent have some atelectasis at the time of discharge. Importantly, 95.2 percent of Craig's patients on ventilators are discharged to home as opposed to sub-acute facilities or nursing homes.

According to Lonnie, Craig's successes are due to 10 important clinical practices:

1. Pre-admission on-site consul-tations (more than 700 consultations around the U.S. and world in the past 24 years).
2. Twenty-two respiratory therapists who average 10 years each at Craig.
3. Use of long-established ventilator protocols with continual refinement.
4. Larger hospital suites for patients on ventilators.
5. Excellent interdisciplinary communication for patients - with and among physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, dietary technicians, pharmacists, speech therapists, OTs, PTs, recreation therapists, psychologists, and patient and family counselors.
6. An interdisciplinary program development forum that meets six times each year.
7. A physician-led ventilator program development committee.
8. Emphasis on patient and family training in preparation for home: one-to-one training, group training, video tapes, and manuals.
9. Emphasis on therapeutic community outings and community reintegration activities.
10. A flight team that accompanies every patient on a ventilator and his or her family members home. The respiratory therapist and RN remain with the patient and family at home for several days following discharge.

For more information about Craig's ventilator program, please contact Lonnie Martinez at 303-789-8479 or at lmartinez@craighospital.org.