Respiratory care
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To understand the fate of aerosols delivered by high-flow nasal cannula using continuous nebulization, an open-source anatomical model was developed and validated with a modified real-time gamma ratemeter technique. Mass balance defined circuit losses. Responsiveness to infusion rate and device technology were tested. ⋯ The model defined sites of aerosol losses during continuous nebulization and provided a realistic in vitro system for testing aerosol delivery during continuous nebulization. Real-time analysis can quantify effects of multiple changes in variables (nebulizer technology, infusion rate, gas flow, and ventilation) during a given experiment.
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High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy is used to deliver warm and humidified gases to patients in respiratory failure. A purported advantage of HFNC oxygen therapy is that it can allow for oral feeding while on the device, although few data support this practice. The purpose of this study was to identify practices and opinions with regard to feeding practices during HFNC oxygen therapy. ⋯ Most facilities did not have a protocol to guide feeding practices when HFNC oxygen therapy is used. Most clinicians felt that an oral diet is safe for stable patients not in danger of being intubated. In general, speech-language pathologists felt that patients on HFNC oxygen therapy should undergo a bedside/clinical swallow examination before eating and/or drinking.
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Aerosolized drug delivery via high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) decreases as gas flow is increased. To improve aerosol delivery, breath-enhanced jet nebulizer may increase aerosol output. This study tested that hypothesis and compared breath-enhanced jet nebulizer to vibrating mesh nebulizer technology. ⋯ Increasing gas flow increased breath-enhanced jet nebulizer output, which demonstrated the effects of breath enhancement. At 60 L/min, breath enhanced jet nebulizer delivered up to 5 times more aerosol compared with conventional vibrating mesh nebulizer technology. Breath-enhanced jet nebulizer delivered a wide range of dose rates at all high flows. In patients who are critically ill, breath-enhanced jet nebulizer technology may allow titration of bedside dosing based on clinical response by simple adjustment of the infusion rate.
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Surveys provide evidence for the social sciences for knowledge, attitudes, and other behaviors, and, in health care, to quantify qualitative research and to assist in policymaking. A survey-designed research project is about asking questions of individuals, and, from the answers, the researcher can generalize the findings from a sample of respondents to a population. Therefore, this overview can serve as a guide to conducting survey research that can provide answers for practitioners, educators, and leaders, but only if the right questions and methods are used. ⋯ Online surveys have many limitations that should be expected before conducting a search, and then described after the survey is complete. Any conclusions and recommendations are to be supported by evidence in a clear and objective manner. Presenting evidence in a structured format is crucial but well-developed reporting guidelines are needed for researchers who conduct survey research.