Breakfast Symposia

Held in the morning at the New Orleans Marriott, they are free of charge and most are approved for CRCE credit. The schedule below shows the companies hosting the symposia. Please note that the companies provided all topics, speakers, and descriptions, and they are fully responsible for information presented at these sessions.

Complimentary breakfast. Attendance is limited, first-come, first-served once registration opens.

Sunday, November 11

6:00 am – 8:00 am

Protecting the Ventilated Patient from Hospital-Acquired Infections

David Vines MHS, RRT, FAARC, Chicago, IL

Program Overview

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased cost of care. HAIs that cause pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients are difficult to diagnose because many conditions can mimic symptoms of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Strategies to minimize VAP risk are preferred to treating an infection. As such, adherence to the VAP bundle set forth by the Institute for Health Improvement is recommended.

Learning Objectives:

  1. List common HAI’s associated with the ventilated patient
  2. Discuss the impact of HAI’s on clinical outcomes and cost
  3. Define filtration the clinical significance of the filter specifications
  4. List best practices related to VAP reduction

 The American Association for Respiratory Care has approved this course for 1.25 CRCE. Course Number: 128922000.

Register for the Teleflex Symposium

6:00 am – 8:00 am
New Orleans Marriott
Grand Ballroom (Acadia/Bissonet)

Mechanical Ventilation Strategies

Presentation #1
Capnography: The Ventilation Vital Sign

Michael Gentile MS, RRT, FAARC Durham NC
Program Overview

Capnography is a noninvasive method of monitoring the level of carbon dioxide in exhaled breath to assess patient ventilatory status. It also provides information regarding CO2 production, pulmonary perfusion, alveolar ventilation, respiratory patterns, and elimination of CO2. Clinicians can use this information to make informed treatment decisions, assess ventilatory strategies, as well as predict outcomes. This presentation will review published evidence and discuss clinical scenarios.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Describe the use of capnography in conscious sedation.
  2. Discuss the role of capnography in intubation and resuscitation.
  3. Identify the significance of capnography in the mechanically ventilated patient.

Presentation #2:
PAV vs. PSV: Liberalism or Interventionism?

Marcelo Amato, Prof., MD
Program Overview

This talk will review the main targets to help guide professionals during mechanical ventilation. Three major physiological constrains have to be properly composed to assist the ventilated patient recovering from acute respiratory failure. They include maintenance of:

  • Low driving inspiratory pressure
  • Respiratory muscle activity
  • Good patient-ventilator synchrony
Learning Objectives:
  1. Describe how to improve the matching between neural inspiratory time versus ventilator inspiratory time during PSV or PAV
  2. Discuss why PSV provides more control to the physician, while PAV gives more control to the patient
  3. Understand when a liberal control of ventilation pattern or when too much interventionism may lead to bad outcomes

 The American Association for Respiratory Care has approved this course for 2.0 CRCE. Course Number: 128926000.

Register for the Covidien Symposium

Monday, November 12

6:00 am – 8:00 am

First Do No Harm—Techniques to Help Promote Lung Protection and Patient Synchrony

Dr. Robert Kacmarek PhD RRT FCCM FCCP FAARC Boston, MA
Dr. Dean Hess PhD, RRT, FAARC Boston, MA
Program Overview

This educational symposium will provide attendees with the current evidence as it relates to the management of patients with ARDS and patient-ventilator asynchrony.  Experts in the field of mechanical ventilation will discuss current technologies that are applicable during lung protective ventilation and methods to improve patient ventilator interaction.

Learning Objectives:
Patient Ventilator Synchrony
Dr. Robert Kacmarek PhD RRT FCCM FCCP FAARC Boston, MA
  1. Discuss issues related to patient ventilator asynchrony.
  2. Discuss the evidence related to patient ventilator interaction.
  3. Compare different technologies that help improve patient ventilator interaction.
PEEP Selection for Patients with ARDS
Dr. Dean Hess PhD, RRT, FAARC Boston, MA
  1. Discuss issues related to alveolar over-distention and recruitment.
  2. Discuss the evidence related to higher versus lower PEEP in patients with ARDS.
  3. Compare approaches to PEEP selection in patients with ARDS.

This course is pending approval from the American Association for Respiratory Care for 2.0 CRCE credits.

Register for the Maquet Symposium

7:00 am – 8:00 am

Advancements in Noninvasive Monitoring & The Benefits for The Respiratory Therapist

Thomas Lamphere BS RRT RPFT, Sellersville PA
Mike McEvoy, PhD, RN, CCRN, Albany, NY
Program Overview

The first half of this presentation will review some of the most important measurements that are directly related to a patient's oxygenation and ventilation.  Attendees will learn how existing and new technologies can improve their ability to care for patients in critical and non-critical areas. The second half of the presentation will provide an in-depth view on detecting bleeding sooner through noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin monitoring.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Review the importance of functional hemoglobin in oxygenating the body.
  2. Review the various methods for measuring and monitoring dyshemoglobin and total hemoglobin.
  3. Discuss the implication of continuous non-invasive oxygen content in patient management.
  4. Review the currently available methods of non-invasively monitoring a patient's spontaneous ventilation.
  5. Discuss late detection of bleeding, its cost and risks to patients.
  6. Explain iatrogenic anemia, risks to patients and challenges for clinicians.
  7. Recall current research on accuracy & clinical applications of non-invasive hemoglobin.

This course is pending approval from the American Association for Respiratory Care for CRCE credit.

Register for the Masimo Symposium

Tuesday, November 13

6:30 am – 8:00 am
New Orleans Marriott
Mardi Gras Ballroom, Salons D–H

From VAP to VAE: Implications for the Respiratory Therapist

Dr. Dean Hess PhD, RRT, FAARC Boston, MA
Program Overview

Because there is no reliable definition for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), the CDC convened a multidisciplinary group to develop a new surveillance definition. The result is a tiered approach that focuses on ventilator-associated events (VAE). VAE prevention presents many opportunities for respiratory therapists. These include use of noninvasive ventilation, implementation of lung-protective ventilation strategies, ventilator discontinuation protocols, and VAP prevention strategies. The presenter will review the newly created definitions by the CDC.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Compare ventilator-associated pneumonia and ventilator-associated events.
  2. Describe the tiered approach used to identify ventilator-associated events.
  3. Discuss opportunities for respiratory therapists to implement strategies that prevent ventilator-associated events.

Register for the Covidien/Hollister Symposium

This course has NOT been applied for CRCE credit with the American Association for Respiratory Care