How does the flight paramedic ensure a patient is being ventilated adequately?

To ensure that a patient is being adequately ventilated, it is critical to observe the adequacy of chest rise and fall during ventilation. This physical assessment is an immediate and visual way to determine whether the ventilatory efforts are effective, as proper ventilation should result in symmetrical and adequate movement of the chest. If the chest rises and falls appropriately, it indicates that air is being moved in and out of the lungs effectively, facilitating gas exchange.

While monitoring the number of breaths per minute can provide some information about ventilation, it does not alone confirm that each breath is being delivered effectively. The ventilator's alarm system is designed to alert the medical team to issues, but it should not be solely relied upon without clinical observation and assessment. Checking the patient’s blood pressure may provide information about hemodynamic status but does not directly inform the adequacy of ventilation. Therefore, observing chest rise and fall remains the most direct and reliable indicator of effective ventilation.