The FDA on March 27 issued an emergency use authorization allowing anesthesia machines to be modified for use as ventilators.
Michael McLaughlin, DNP, CRNA, assistant program director of nurse anesthesia at Rutgers School of Nursing in New Brunswick, N.J., shared three things to know about these conversions:
1. Anesthesia machines can be quickly converted to ventilators with the addition of a head and humidity exchange filter to the breathing circuit and the removal of anesthetic gas vaporizers.
2. An anesthesia specialist should be present at all times to manage the use of anesthesia machines as ventilators.
3. Training respiratory therapists, who may be stressed or burned out during the crisis, to use new equipment is not recommended.