Mechanical ventilation principles in children — branching viva

Station opening

Examiner: "Define mechanical ventilation in children and tell me how a volume-controlled breath differs from a pressure-controlled one." ^[10]

Strong candidate (must-hit)

• Defines mechanical ventilation as the delivery of positive-pressure breaths through an endotracheal tube when a child's oxygenation, ventilation or respiratory effort has failed; explains that a volume-controlled breath guarantees a set tidal volume and lets the pressure vary with compliance, whereas a pressure-controlled breath fixes the inspiratory pressure and lets the delivered tidal volume vary; adds that the variable that is not guaranteed is the one to watch, because a worsening compliance shows as a rising pressure in volume control and a falling volume in pressure control. ^{[10] [3]}

Weak candidate

• "It is just a breathing machine; volume and pressure modes are basically the same." ^[10]