The Ventilator Book

"The Ventilator Book" is a concise reference for physicians, medical students, advanced practice providers, nurses, and respiratory therapists who are working in the Intensive Care Unit. Dr. William Owens explains, in clear language, the basics of respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation. This is a guide to keep in your jacket pocket, call room, or in the ICU.

The second edition includes new chapters on capnography and acid-base problem solving, ventilator weaning protocols, and is updated to reflect current medical evidence. Conventional and unconventional modes of ventilation are examined and explained. PEEP, flow, ventilator liberation, and the care of the patient with prolonged respiratory failure are also covered. The goal of "The Ventilator Book" is to make difficult concepts easy to understand.

Conventional medical textbooks are great references, but they are heavy and can’t be easily carried around by clinicians who are busy taking care of patients. They also are written to be an exhaustive, authoritative reference, which means that they often contain far more information than what you need at the bedside to help with a difficult case. "The Ventilator Book" has enough information to teach anyone about mechanical ventilation, but not so much that reading it becomes intimidating.