ABSTRACT
A well-motivated, experienced, and caring health care team (HCT) is key to the successful management of patients receiving long-term mechanical ventilation (LTMV). Although the LTMV population represents <10% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, it consumes >50% of financial resources (1). Specialized centers, within or outside the acute care hospitals, offer a more appropriate setting for patients requiring LTMV, as they provide evidence-based, cost-effective, holistic care to patients recovering from critical illness. The HCT updates care plans daily, based on the patient’s physical, nutritional, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs. The core team (Table 1), which varies among jurisdictions, collaborates with many other consulting staff (Table 2). This chapter will address the allied health professionals’ perceptions of the issues, challenges, and barriers to the care of the LTMV patient population, in three different venues.
