End-Tidal C02 Monitoring & Interpretation
Contact Hours: 1
Cost: $10.00
This course is designed for nurse clinicians that care for ventilated patients in the ICU, emergency medicine, or post-anesthesia care unit setting. End-tidal CO2 monitoring is a method of measuring a patient’s ventilation and can also give cues into cardiac status. Although end-tidal C02 monitoring has long been used in the operating room for ventilated patients, it is quickly becoming a highly used monitor in intensive care unit, post-anesthesia care unit, and other nursing areas (Bauman & Cosgrove, 2012). Another name for end-tidal monitoring is waveform capnography. This e-learning course will examine the science behind ETCO2 monitoring, the types of devices used to monitor ETCO2 and how ETCO2 can guide a nurse’s assessments and decision-making. Through gaining a fuller understanding of ETCO2 monitoring, nursing can enhance patient safety (Bauman & Cosgrove, 2012).
The purpose of this course is to educate nurses on the use of end-tidal CO2 monitoring, interpretation, and application in real-world healthcare settings.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
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Describe why ETCO2 monitoring is a reflection of ventilation and perfusion.
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Explain the types of monitors available to measure ETCO2.
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List the uses for ETCO2 monitoring in the ventilated patient.
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State the uses of ETCO2 monitoring in the spontaneously breathing patient.
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Discuss the capnogram and what it means in each phase.
Curriculum
Chapter 1 - Outline and Introduction
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Overview of ETCO2 Monitoring
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The Science Behind ETCO2 Monitoring
Chapter 2 - Types of Monitors
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Sidestream
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Mainstream
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Microstream
Chapter 3 - Uses in the Ventilated Patient
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Endotracheal Tube Placement Verification
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Monitoring Endotracheal Tube Placement in Patient Transport
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Confirming CPR Effectiveness and ROSC
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Monitoring Intracranial Pressure in the Trauma Patient
Chapter 4 - Uses in the Non-Ventilated Patient
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Assessing the Respiratory and Perfusion Status of Critically Ill Patients
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Use During Procedural Sedation
Chapter 5 - Interpreting ETCO2 Waveforms
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Four Phases of a Capnogram
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Five-Step Waveform Interpretation
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Troubleshooting Tips and Capnography Limitations
Chapter 6 - Conclusion
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Case Scenarios
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References