Understanding about Ambu Bag

An Ambu bag is a medical device used to provide assisted ventilation to people who are either not breathing or are having trouble breathing. The bag needs to be compressed to force a volume of air into the lungs. Ambu is a registered trademark name for a major manufacturer of the device. The technical name for the device is a bag valve mask resuscitator or BMV resuscitator.

Function

An Ambu bag is used by medical personnel, such as a nurse or respiratory therapist. Using an Ambu bag takes the place of forcing air into the lungs using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Bags come in different sizes for infants, children and adults. The different sizes are needed to deliver an appropriate tidal volume of air to the patient, based on his size.

Features

An Ambu bag consists of a bag, adapter and one-way valve. The bag is the main part of the device. It can be attached directly to an endotracheal tube or a mask using the adapter. The bag also has a one-way valve which allows the oxygen to flow to the patient and prevents the patient from breathing in his exhaled air. Some bags may have a reservoir, which increases the amount of oxygen the patient receives.

Assisting Patient with Oral Care

Adequate oral hygiene care is imperative to promote the patient’s sense of well-being and prevent deterioration of the oral cavity. Poor oral hygiene is reported to lead to the colonization of the oropharyngeal secretions by respiratory pathogens. Diligent oral hygiene care can improve oral health and limit the growth of pathogens in the oropharyngeal secretions, decreasing the incidence of aspiration pneumonia and other systemic diseases (Yoon & Steele, 2007; American Association of Critical-Care Nurses [AACN], 2006). The mouth requires care even during illness, but sometimes care must be modified to meet a patient’s needs. If the patient can assist with mouth care, provide the necessary materials. Oral care is important not only to prevent dental caries but also to improve the patient’s self-image. Oral care should be done at least twice a day for ambulatory patients.

Monitoring Temperature Using an Overhead Radiant Warmer

Neonates, infants who are exposed to stressors or chilling (e.g., from undergoing numerous procedures), and infants who have an underlying condition that interferes with thermoregulation (e.g., prematurity) are highly susceptible to heat loss. Therefore, radiant warmers are used for infants who have trouble maintaining body temperature. In addition, use of a radiant warmer minimizes the oxygen and calories that the infant would expend to maintain body temperature, thereby minimizing the effects of body temperature changes on metabolic activity.

An overhead radiant warmer warms the air to provide a neutral thermal environment, one that is neither too warm nor too cool for the patient. The incubator temperature is adjusted to maintain an anterior abdominal skin temperature of 36.5°C (97.7°F), but at least 36°C (96.8°F), using Servocontrol (automatic thermostat) (Sinclair, 2002).