Respiratory HQ's Journey to Success

Tonya Piehl

5.0 (9)
EDUCATION
UPDATED WEEKLY

The journey to becoming a successful respiratory therapist goes beyond textbooks! Each week, Tonya Piehl breaks down what it takes to successfully complete a respiratory therapy program, gain the RRT credential. and to transform into a leader in the Respiratory Therapy profession.

07/05/2025

Episode 69: Noninvasive Ventilation

This is an AI generate podcast of Tonya Piehl's lecture notes. This handout explains Noninvasive Ventilation (NIV), a medical support system that assists breathing without an artificial airway. It defines NIV and differentiates between Negative and Positive Pressure Ventilation, highlighting the widespread use of positive pressure methods like CPAP and Bilevel PAP (BiPAP). The document outlines goals for NIV in both acute and long-term care settings, details patient selection and exclusion criteria, and discusses various interfaces used for NIV delivery, such as nasal and facial masks, along with troubleshooting common problems. Finally, it elaborates on the management and adjustment of CPAP and BiPAP settings, explaining key terms like IPAP and EPAP and their impact on ventilation and oxygenation.

28 min
06/16/2025

Episode 68: Ventilator Weaning & Extubation

AI generated podcast to Tonya Piehl's lecture notes. The provided source outlines the comprehensive process of discontinuing ventilatory support, often referred to as "weaning" or "liberation," for patients on mechanical ventilation. It details a multi-stage approach, beginning with a pre-weaning phase that assesses a patient's readiness based on their underlying condition, oxygenation, hemodynamic stability, and ability to breathe spontaneously. Various pre-weaning indices such as the CROP score, airway occlusion pressure, and Rapid Shallow Breathing Index are discussed as crucial indicators. The document then transitions into the weaning phase, describing methods like spontaneous breathing trials (SBT), Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (SIMV) with or without Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV), and the use of Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV) for specific patient populations. Finally, it addresses monitoring during weaning and emphasizes that extubation is a separate decision, focused on the patient's ability to maintain and protect their airway independently.

12 min
06/07/2025

Episode 67: I:E Ratio

This is an AI generated podcast of T.Piehl's lecture notes. These documents explain key concepts in mechanical ventilation, beginning with the I:E ratio, which compares inspiratory to expiratory time and is typically maintained within a specific range, altered by adjusting factors like flow rate and tidal volume. It is shown how changing these variables affects the I:E ratio. The text then describes various flow waveforms, such as square, accelerating, decelerating, and sine, outlining their characteristics and potential benefits for gas distribution. Finally, the concept of a sigh breath is discussed, noting its historical use and current recommendations for specific situations like before and after procedures or when using small tidal volumes

10 min
05/31/2025

Episode 66: Compliance & Resistance

This is an AI generated podcast of Tonya Piehl's lecture notes. These texts discuss the mechanical properties of the lungs, specifically focusing on compliance and resistance. Compliance measures the ease with which the lungs expand, explaining that low compliance makes expansion difficult while high compliance hinders exhalation; both can impair gas exchange. The texts differentiate between dynamic and static compliance, explaining how they are measured and what factors influence each, including airway resistance in the dynamic measurement. Resistance refers to the forces opposing airflow into the lungs, primarily airway resistance, and the texts detail factors influencing it and how it is calculated. Finally, the relationship between these measurements and work of breathing is highlighted, along with common conditions affecting compliance and resistance.

15 min
05/24/2025

Episode 65: Hazards of Mechanical Ventilation

This is an AI podcast from T. Piehl's lecture notes. This source outlines the potential complications associated with mechanical ventilation, emphasizing that issues become more likely with prolonged use. It details pulmonary effects like altered gas distribution and tissue damage, along with cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, and gastrointestinal impacts. The document also addresses ventilator and artificial airway problems, as well as potential issues stemming from medical professionals and patient condition. Finally, it provides recommendations to minimize risks, such as proper hygiene and positioning.

16 min
04/23/2025

Episode 64: Ventilator Alarm Settings

This AI generated podcast explains the crucial role of ventilator alarms in preventing life-threatening situations by alerting clinicians to technical malfunctions or changes in a patient's condition. It categorizes alarms into input (power), control circuit, and output types, detailing specific examples within each category, such as loss of power, incompatible settings, and unacceptable output states. The handout further describes individual output alarms, including those for low exhaled volume, high inspiratory pressure, and apnea, providing guidance on appropriate alarm settings and potential causes for their activation. Ultimately, the information emphasizes the importance of always setting every alarm to ensure patient safety during mechanical ventilation.

12 min
03/31/2025

Episode 63: Traditional Modes of Mechanical Ventilation

This is an AI generated podcast of Tonya Piehl's lecture notes. This lesson outlines key aspects of mechanical ventilation, beginning with definitions of trigger, limit, and cycle variables that govern breath delivery. It then details various modes of ventilation, including controlled mandatory ventilation (CMV) where the machine dictates all aspects of breathing, and assist-control (A/C) ventilation where the patient can trigger machine-delivered breaths. Synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) and pressure support ventilation (PSV) are also explained as methods allowing for partial ventilatory support and spontaneous breathing. Finally, the lesson covers continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for patients with adequate spontaneous breathing but hypoxemia.

19 min
03/24/2025

Episode 62: Initial Ventilator Settings

This is an AI generated podcast of Tonya Piehl's lecture notes. This educational material outlines the fundamental principles for initiating and managing mechanical ventilation. It emphasizes establishing a secure airway and initial ventilator settings based on patient specifics, followed by thorough assessment and goal setting. The text highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and systematic adjustments to ventilator parameters, including the differences between volume and pressure ventilation. Furthermore, it details key settings like respiratory rate, tidal volume, and FiO2, alongside considerations for patient effort and flow. Finally, the resource touches upon weaning and the necessity of physician orders for specific ventilator parameters.

21 min

5

out of 5

9 Ratings

The journey to becoming a successful respiratory therapist goes beyond textbooks! Each week, Tonya Piehl breaks down what it takes to successfully complete a respiratory therapy program, gain the RRT credential. and to transform into a leader in the Respiratory Therapy profession.

Creator

Tonya Piehl
Years Active

2022 - 2025
Episodes

69
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Respiratory HQ's Journey to Success