Adequacy of oxygenation parameters in elderly patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Objective: To compare ideal PaO2 with PaO2 found, ideal PaO2/FiO2 of room air with the one found, and ideal FiO2 with FiO2 found in mechanically ventilated elderly patients.

Methods: Cross-sectional study that evaluated elderly mechanically ventilated patients for at least 72 hours and who underwent three subsequent blood gas analyses.

Results: The sample consisted of 48 elderly with mean age of 74.

Quality assessment of inhospital patients unable to speak who use alternative and extended communication.

Objective: To implement the use of alternative communication boards in patients hospitalized and unable to communicate by speech.

Methods: A descriptive study with a sample of 30 patients hospitalized and unable to communicate by speech. Boards were made with Boardmaker® Software that consists of a graphical database containing Pictorial Communication Symbols.