Certified Transport Registered Nurse Certification Practice Exam

In Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (SIMV), how are patient-triggered breaths treated by the ventilator?

1. Their breaths are fully supported by the ventilator

2. They are not supported by the ventilator

3. They are partially supported by the ventilator

4. They are ignored by the ventilator

The correct answer is: They are not supported by the ventilator

In Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (SIMV), patient-triggered breaths are treated by the ventilator in a way that allows for spontaneous breathing while still providing mandatory support. When a patient initiates a breath, the ventilator recognizes this effort and allows the patient to breathe spontaneously without delivering a preset volume or pressure from the machine during these triggered breaths. This means that while the ventilator meets the patient's needs for mandatory breaths at set intervals, any additional breaths taken by the patient are not supplemented; they are fully under the control of the patient. This mode allows for a balance between ventilator support and patient control, which is crucial for promoting natural breathing patterns and weaning patients off mechanical ventilation. By allowing patient-triggered breaths to be unassisted, SIMV can support weaning and enhance the patient's ability to participate in their own ventilation management, aligning with their respiratory needs without over-reliance on the ventilator. In this context, the other options do not capture the essence of SIMV. Full support would imply that all breaths, including spontaneous ones, are assisted by the ventilator, while partial support would indicate some level of assistance; however, in SIMV, the focus is on the distinct separation of mandatory and