Ventilators in Burn Victims

The job of the respiratory therapist in the care of burns is a big one. They may be responsible for obtaining arterial blood gases to check for oxygenation of the blood. They may be involved in early intubation of the burn victim to prevent loss of the airway from swelling of the tissues. They may also help the doctor with bronchoscopies to check for airway damage deeper in the lungs, and will perform ventilator management and airway maintenance until the patient’s respiratory functions improve.