What assessment can help identify potential ventilator-induced lung injury?

Monitoring peak and plateau pressures is crucial in identifying potential ventilator-induced lung injury. Peak pressure represents the highest airway pressure during inspiration, which can indicate how much pressure is needed to inflate the lungs, while plateau pressure reflects the pressure in the alveoli during a pause in ventilation. Elevated plateau pressures, specifically, can indicate reduced lung compliance or overdistension, both of which may lead to ventilator-induced lung injury.

By continuously monitoring these pressures, clinicians can assess lung mechanics to determine if the ventilator settings are contributing to stress or damage in the lung tissue. This vigilance allows for timely adjustments to the ventilator to avoid adverse outcomes, such as barotrauma or volutrauma, thereby protecting the patient's lungs while still providing adequate ventilation.

The other options, while part of patient care, do not specifically monitor the risk factors associated with ventilator-induced lung injury. For instance, routine temperature checks may identify infection but do not provide insight into ventilator pressures. Continuous tracking of ventilator settings is informative but does not directly assess lung mechanics. Regular patient positioning changes can help improve ventilation and perfusion but are unrelated to the monitoring of pressures that indicate potential lung injury.