Ventilator Weaning and Pulmonary Program

ventilator wening

The premier ventilator weaning hospitals in New Jersey

The ventilator weaning program at CareOne long-term acute care hospitals offers patients and their families the additional time, specialized care, and experience they need to reduce ventilator support. Directed by top physicians, CareOne’s pulmonary and vent weaning programs have a success rate 40% higher than the national average.

What is ventilator weaning?

Ventilator weaning is the gradual process of helping a patient who relies on a machine to breathe to switch back to breathing on their own. It’s like training your lungs to do the work after relying on the ventilator for support. The process involves slowly reducing the ventilator’s assistance while closely monitoring the patient’s breathing and oxygen levels. Successful weaning means the patient can breathe effectively without the machine and eventually have their breathing tube removed. It’s a crucial step in recovering from critical illness and can take days or even weeks, depending on the patient’s condition and progress.

patient vent weaning

Why Patients Require More Time to Wean:

Anxiety

Patients can feel anxious when they're trying to breathe on their own after being on a machine for a long time. That's why our team takes the time to comfort and help patients during those times of anxiety.

Malnutrition

Ventilator-dependent patients are at increased risk of malnutrition due to inflammation. Our full-time registered dietitians assess each patient’s individual needs to provide adequate nutrition to support their goals.

Muscle Conditioning

Vented patients can become deconditioned due to lack of mobility. CareOne LTACHs provide specialized therapy plans that include passive and active exercises, bed mobility, gait training, and more.

Pulmonary Hygiene

Patients on a ventilator commonly produce high levels of mucous, also known as secretions. Actively managing and treating these secretions is key to preventing respiratory infection and overall patient safety.

Compromised Respiratory System

Many patients who require extended ventilator weaning have pre-existing conditions like COPD, emphysema, or pulmonary fibrosis. Our respiratory therapists and RNs specialize in patients with these diagnoses.

Mastering the long wean

Unlike a traditional hospital, CareOne LTACHs are designed specifically for a vented patient that requires a longer than usual length of stay. From the moment that a patient admits to our floor, their individualized plan is put into effect. After a complete clinical review of what has occurred prior to their admission, treatment immediately begins. We learn a patient’s breathing patterns, understand barriers to weaning, and work to discover new ways to guide patients to a successful wean.

Ventilator Weaning and Pulmonary Program

Service Locations

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Elizabeth, NJ

LTACH CareOne at Trinitas Regional Medical Center

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New Brunswick, NJ

LTACH CareOne at Saint Peter’s University Hospital

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Westwood, NJ

LTACH CareOne at Hackensack UMC, Pascack Valley