While ventilating a patient, you notice abdominal distension. What should you do?

When you observe abdominal distension while ventilating a patient, it's crucial to reassess the volume and rate of ventilations. Abdominal distension can indicate that air is entering the stomach rather than the lungs, which can occur if the ventilations are too forceful or delivered too rapidly. This can compromise the effectiveness of ventilations and lead to other complications, such as increased pressure in the abdomen that may impair respiratory function.

By reassessing the volume and rate, you can determine whether your technique or the settings you are using need to be adjusted. This could involve decreasing the volume of air being delivered to ensure that it is entering the lungs effectively instead of causing excessive inflation of the stomach. Proper ventilation technique is critical for ensuring adequate oxygenation and preventing further complications that could arise from improper ventilation.

Continuous evaluation and adjustment based on the patient’s response and observations are key to providing effective care.