Every day - before the first patient

Inspect the system. Look for damage, necessary drugs and equipment, correct breathing circuit setup, and hazardous conditions.

Turn on the system.

Set the ventilator controls to decrease alarms.

Do the pipeline and cylinder tests. Look for sufficient pressures and no high pressure leaks (cylinders).

Do the flow control tests:
• Minimum flows: 02 25-75 ml/min, all other gases no flow.
• Link system: Increase N20 flow to drive up 02 flow. Decrease 02 flow to drive down N20 flow. The 02 flow is  nominal 25%
• 02 supply failure alarm. Alarm operates when 02 pressure is decreased below set limit. Air flow continues. All other gases stop.

Do the vaporizer back pressure tests:
• Set the 02 flow to 6 L/min.
• Turn On one vaporizer at a time.
• Make sure that the 02 flow stays above 5 L/min.

Do a low-pressure leak test.

Do the alarm tests:
• Make sure all monitors operate correctly.
• Make sure the 02 sensor operates correctly. It shows approx. 21% 02 in room air and 100% 02 after two min in pure 02.
• Make sure these ventilator alarms operate correctly: high and low 02; low minute volume; high airway pressure; apnea and low airway pressure; sustained airway pressure.

Every time a different clinician uses the system

Do a low-pressure leak test.

Before every patient

Look for damage, necessary drugs and equipment, correct breath¬ing circuit setup, and hazardous conditions.

Check vaporizer installation:
• Make sure the top of each vaporizer is horizontal (not on crooked).
• Make sure each vaporizer is locked and cannot be removed.
• Make sure the alarms and indicators operate correctly (Tec 6 vaporizer).
• Make sure you cannot turn on more than one vaporizer at the same time.

Do the breathing system tests:
• Make sure the one way valves and auxiliary equipment (humidifier, etc.) operate correctly.
• With a circle breathing-circuit module, push the drain button for 10 sec
to remove condensate.
• Ventilator circuit leak test.
• Bag/Manuel circuit leak test
• Bag/Manual circuit APL valve test.
• Circuit leak test
Set the appropriate controls and alarm limits for the case.

Source: Jim Philip, MD, BWH
Revised 6/20/05 by J. Philip
Document owner: Evelyn Fan
Added to site: 4/07