GA calculated flow rates

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:12:35 GMT

[quote user="Kerry Haigh RVN A1 Cert SAN MBVNA"]

Sorry maybe I've not worded it correctly, I'm on about oxygen flow rates not the anaesthetic gas flow rates.

[/quote]

Again I adjust according to the patient... if they are not taking the amount needed/required, then I will adjust the o2 and or give a few breaths..., and take it from there

Re: GA calculated flow rates

SmegSlayer — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:59:56 GMT

[quote user="Claire 'Duke' York RVN MBVNA"]

[quote user="SmegSlayer"]terrible GA's[/quote]

How were they terrible? Was it not just that they were different to what you were used to?

[/quote]

Not going to sleep properly, poor recovery, starting to move during surgery, eyes going fixed central when a minute previously they still had a palpebral. might just have been those patients but I haven't had anywhere near the number of problems since i went back to they way i'd done it for 7 years previously

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Kerry Spain — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:22:57 GMT

Sorry maybe I've not worded it correctly, I'm on about oxygen flow rates not the anaesthetic gas flow rates.

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:16:29 GMT

Hmmm, honestly I am an individual gal TBH.... i look at the patient, and also judge them while under,...if they are pink/ resps within normal limits(not necessarliy within their size breed remit) Heart rate within the remit etc, I tend to adjust accordingly for breed/type/ size etc.... lets facfe it we are al;l different,.... and yes students need to work out all that..... but in reality we adjust as per patient and requirementssurely!?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Kerry Spain — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:25:40 GMT

The reason I ask is that I was always used to working out flow rates based on info taken on admission. Then I worked somewhere which had a Humphrey ADE for years so that was fine. Now I'm working somewhere which takes no vitals on admission and does not believe in working out flow rates, so small patients get put onto 2L/min 02 for the T-Piece and the same for the Bain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've tried pointing out that this is dangerous but I've ended up having silent fights with the vets over it... I out the 02 flow rate up and they turn it down again!!!

Very frustrating indeed.

So I've persuaded the PM to look into purchasing an ADE and I've pre warned about the cost. I was talking to the Abbott rep today who mantioned a new but very similar circuit at a fraction of the cost!

I can't remember the bloody name of it tho', summut like a snapper? or maybe sniper?.. no erm...oh dear, anyone know?!

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Katie Murphy RVN — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:51:56 GMT

I always work out a rough flow rate using 10mls (10-15ml) per kg then times by RR (if I haven't taken RR before I use 20 as an average).... its easy peasy to do bodyweight times 10 times 20 times circuit factor (I use 1 or 3).

I try to get students to learn this way as well but I usually lose to the pre-printed charts :(

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Claire Cameron — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:06:03 GMT

[quote user="SmegSlayer"]terrible GA's[/quote]

How were they terrible? Was it not just that they were different to what you were used to?

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:13:29 GMT

[quote user="spud x"]

i am trying but i work at a vets that dont even know how to work drip rates out and when i do they thinki it looks wrong and change it. makes life very hard.

they also use very strange modified circuits which makes life hard.

[/quote]

the use of modified circuits is a bit scary to me....

How do you know what the circuit factor is if they have been 'modified'???

Re: GA calculated flow rates

SmegSlayer — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:43:25 GMT

I wish we did TPR pre GA (one vet does on admit). However, once I learn't the calculation at college and applied it to my GA's I started having terrible GA's. I went back to going by my instincts

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:32:14 GMT

I do too. Try and get TPR's on admission when possible, but just can't always manage it. Although like Bizzy says, you can easily get a RR thru the kennel door

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Honeybadger — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:48:47 GMT

I do. Once you've memorised the calculation it only takes 2 seconds to work it out. Unfortunatly we dont do TPR on admission but I take the RR from the patient in the kennel before I take them into the prep room.

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:50:32 GMT

i am trying but i work at a vets that dont even know how to work drip rates out and when i do they thinki it looks wrong and change it. makes life very hard.

they also use very strange modified circuits which makes life hard.

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:44:06 GMT

All our patients at my previous practice all had TPR taken and recorded on admission. I try to work out flow rates prior to any ga i'm gonna monitor.

Re: GA calculated flow rates

Jeniflower — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:52:25 GMT

Who gets a resp rate on admission?!