This two-hour educational session focuses on the comprehensive care of the pediatric patient requiring mechanical ventilation. Participants will explore the unique physiologic, developmental, and psychosocial considerations of ventilated infants and children, while highlighting the essential roles of nursing, respiratory therapy, and other allied health professionals. Through case-based discussion and practical examples, the course will reinforce shared decision-making, effective communication, and coordinated care strategies aimed at optimizing patient safety, comfort, and outcomes in acute care settings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe differences between neonatal and pediatric lung physiology and how that impacts ventilation choices.
2. Set up safe starting ventilator settings using patient age, weight, diagnosis, and clinical presentation.
3. Identify basic ventilator waveforms and useful bedside trends and troubleshoot common ventilation problems using a step-by-step approach.
4. Apply lung-protective strategies to reduce ventilator-induced lung injury
5. Demonstrate team-based communication for escalation and ventilator changes using clear, structured bedside language.