• Question: My Mummy looks after people on ventilators. How do ventilators work please?

    Asked by anon-251721 on 24 Apr 2020.
    • Photo: Sophie Arthur

      Sophie Arthur answered on 24 Apr 2020:

      Firstly I want to say a huge thank you to your mum for the work she is doing right now

      Ventilators are machines that support patients who are struggling to breathe. Usually the patient is given a muscle relaxant so that the machine can take over the action of breathing for them. It works by pushing air and oxygen into the lungs.

    • Photo: Anabel Martinez Lyons

      Anabel Martinez Lyons answered on 24 Apr 2020: last edited 24 Apr 2020 1:45 pm

      Your mum is doing an incredibly important job at the moment!

      Ventilators work by taking over the body’s breathing. They are only needed when the lungs fail to work properly, and they also give the patient time to fight off his or her infection and recover. There are a few different types of ventilator but they all tend to have 1) some type of face mask that fits over the patient’s nose and mouth, 2) some tubes that bring in fresh air and take away used air, and 3) a central pump machine with a display screen which filter-cleans and humidifies (adds water to) the air that the patient breathes, and tells you how much oxygen is in the air and at what pressure that air is being pumped. Hope that helps!

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