Originally posted by Pam
Sirrabed, (Deb) there is a difference between a ventilator and a respirator as I am sure you know. ..
No, as far as I have ever known - the two words are interchangeable for a life-sustaining device to make breathing happen. I have been out of nursing for so many years but still believe it is the same?? I did some brief googling and find this to be so. A vent or respirator *can* have multiple controls ranging from assist ....like say, one breath after a 20 second pause - OR maybe 6-8 automatic breaths/minute to full vent, either continual nonstop or after a set timed pause. That is all I know and back in "the old days" - we only used the word vent even though they ranged in their performance. I suspect "respirator" describes a more sophisticated vent. I am not being picky - just using the terms as I recall them. My Living Will uses the catch-all "life sustaining treatment". I really think they are the same thing.