A patient is being ventilated by a transport ventilator en route to a hospital. During ventilation, the high-pressure alarm, which is set at 40 cm H2O, sounds periodically. What should the therapist do at this time?

A. Increase the pressure limit.
B. Change the Fio2.
C. Increase the inspiratory flow.
D. Continue ventilating the patient with the current settings.

ANS: D
A. Incorrect response: See explanation D.
B. Incorrect response: See explanation D.
C. Incorrect response: See explanation D.
D. Correct response: Transport ventilators contain a high-pressure relief valve, which vents gas to the atmosphere at a preselected peak inspiratory pressure. The pressure limit typically is 60 to 80 cm H2O for adults and 30 to 40 cm H2O for children. Activation of the high-pressure limit is usually signaled by a visual or audible alarm to alert the operator. Since the patient in this problem is periodically reaching the high pressure limit set at only 40 cm H2O, ventilation should continue as selected.