Courses · Nursing Care
Ventilator Management in the Community
Support a person who uses a home ventilator: invasive and non-invasive ventilation, alarms, power failure, emergency equipment, and recognising respiratory distress.
Important — this module does not certify you
IMPORTANT — This is a non-accredited course and this Certificate of Completion is not a Statement of Attainment. Ventilator management is a High Intensity Daily Personal Activity under the NDIS Practice Standards. You must be trained on the specific ventilator, circuit and emergency equipment used by the participant, and assessed as competent for that person by an appropriately qualified health practitioner, before providing this support. Tracheostomy care and suctioning are separate high intensity activities requiring their own specific training and sign-off. Never change ventilator settings.
About this module
Ventilator management is a High Intensity Daily Personal Activity under the NDIS, and one where a lapse can be fatal within minutes. This module covers why people use ventilators, non-invasive ventilation through a mask and invasive ventilation through a tracheostomy, the parts of the ventilator circuit, settings you must never change, responding to alarms, disconnection, power and equipment failure, the emergency grab bag and manual resuscitation bag, humidification, mask and skin care, recognising respiratory distress, communication for people who use ventilators, and emergency planning.
Who it is for
Support workers and SIL staff supporting participants who use home mechanical ventilation, including people with motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy, high spinal cord injury and other neuromuscular or respiratory conditions.
What you will be able to do
- Explain why people use invasive and non-invasive ventilation
- Identify the parts of a ventilator circuit and check it is working
- Respond correctly to ventilator alarms, disconnection and equipment failure
- Use the emergency grab bag and understand manual ventilation
- Recognise respiratory distress and escalate immediately
- Carry out tracheostomy care and suctioning within your assessed competence
- Recognise and act on a blocked or displaced tube
Aligned to
- NDIS Practice Standards — High Intensity Daily Personal Activities Module
- NDIS High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors — Ventilator Management
- NDIS Practice Standards — Emergency and Disaster Management
- ANZCOR Guidelines
Lesson plan
What the module covers
| # | Lesson | What it covers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Why people use ventilators | Respiratory failure, NIV versus invasive ventilation, and the circuit. | 18m |
| 02 | Daily checks, humidification and comfort | Checks at the start of every shift, and everyday care. | 18m |
| 03 | Alarms and emergencies | Look at the person first, then the machine. | 20m |
| 04 | Tracheostomy care, suctioning, and the two emergencies | Blocked tube and displaced tube — what they look like and what you do. | 20m |
| ✓ | Final assessment | 14 scenario-based questions · pass mark 85% · unlimited attempts | ~15m |
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