Great News Medtronic Europe Releases Videos about Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series

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In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its widespread across the world, a few hours before publishing this article, Medtronic Europe has decided to publish a series of videos related to training staff and nurses on operating the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilators. This is a great step forward in helping hospitals to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
Usually, the Biomedical Department handles providing training on various medical devices available in the hospital. Either by one of the Biomed technicians or by holding training sessions provided by the supplier or distributor of that device.

Yet, since there is a huge load on the medical sector in general and the sharp ventilators demand surge has to lead us to wonder,


Who will be operating all these ventilators and will they be properly trained on operating them?

Thanking Medtronic Europe for publishing this series of videos, explaining the various operational aspects of the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator is not enough! We will be writing about the videos published in this article.

Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator

What we like about the Medtronic Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series is that all the videos are a few minutes of length. And are specific to a certain goal stated at the beginning of the video making it easier for the trainee to learn fast.

What we don't like about the Medtronic Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series is that there are actually other ventilators produced by Medtronic. It will be useful as well to publish these videos on YouTube so that older models are also included in this training series.

Setting and Mode Training Series

This video is an introductory video of the series. It starts with the basics like switching ON the device. Then attaching the Inspiratory filter and the expiratory filter connections. Then attaching the humidifier module to the front side of the ventilator. Then the fan filter and emphasis on the need to check on that filter periodically.

Besides, the communication ports are at the back of the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator. Furthermore, the side of the ventilator where there are 2 batteries. Where the left battery is removable and can be swapped with a fully charged one, in case of the critical need to do so. But, the right battery is not removable and is connected to the ventilator all the time.

Then moving on to the display screen or the LCD screen explaining the various buttons functions. For instance, How to move the screen display from side to side?

Staus Display 

This video also explains the basics of the status display. What are we actually seeing on screen and what does that mean?

Although the status display is a small screen, it can show valuable information. Like the gas sources if they are plugged-in or not, battery status display and charge percentage of the batteries. If the ventilator is operating on AC or batteries and the number of the batteries available. Also, the Serial Number of the ventilator is shown also the number of ventilator operation hours.

Then, in the end, the operator goes to switch off the ventilator and ON again to show us the Neonate, circuit size and the tests that were performed. If these tests are passed or not? The tests are the SST (Short Self Test), EST, and Post (Power On self-test).

Patient Setup 

The first screen you see is about the availability of 3 options/buttons. These buttons are the new patient button, same patient button or do an SST (Short Self Test)

Then moving on to choose a new patient and showing various selections. We can make a selection, like a gender selection or patient weight and height, etc.

Then moving forwards to other areas of the screen that are, the mode selection and the primary settings area.

Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator

Ventilation types can be chosen to be invasive or non-invasive. Mode selection is (SIMV, AC, SPONT, and Bi-Level). Also choosing the type of ventilation options being pressure control (PC), or volume control (VC) or VC+. In addition, there is the option of selecting the trigger type.

Below that you can see the frequency and other settings that can be adjusted using the knob below the LCD display screen. Once all the settings are adjusted to your preferences, the start button can be triggered to have the ventilator start.

After starting the ventilator, it will display a message stating that the ventilator is waiting to connect the patient. That message can be confirmed by pressing the confirm button, or by actually connect the patient to the ventilation circuit. As the ventilator will detect that a patient has been connected to it.
Finally, the operator explained that the ventilator can be quickly started by specifying gender and height. This is useful if you are comfortable with the settings and you want to start the ventilator quickly.

However, knowing that we tend to forget and make mistakes when we are in a hurry. We highly recommend that all settings are reviewed thoroughly before starting the ventilator. To avoid the quick start option unless it is necessary.

 

Change Settings 

In this video, the operator progresses to explain how to change the settings? These settings were already specified before we started the ventilator. All the primary settings are at the bottom side of the LCD display.

To change the settings simply touch whatever you want to change and adjust it with the knob. Once the new setting parameter is ok with you, press the accept button to confirm that this is your new setting.

Then the operator now moves to check the alarms triggered by pressing on the alarm icon. It is also at the bottom right side of the LCD screen.

Mode Change 

Mode change settings are done from the bottom left side of the screen. Once pressing that area it will get you back to the mode selection screen shown before the patient is connected to the ventilator.

Also, the trainer goes to explain the extra selections that can be made on the left side of the screen. Like the Apnea option, once chosen you can set the apnea settings. Also, you can go to the alarms screen and the more settings area.

Once all the adjustments are done, you can press the accept all button to apply all the changes made.

Screen Geography

The trainer starts by explaining the top area of the ventilator display which is dedicated to patient data.

Then the trainer explains the pull-down menu. The pull-down menu is viewed by pulling it down, just like when you want to pull down on your mobile settings and turn off data or Wi-Fi.

Inside that drop-down menu, there are 2 pages and you can switch between them by pressing the buttons page 1 and page 2.

You can also pull down on that screen again, increase the size of the numbers of the information displayed. This can be handy if you are attending to many patients and you want to have a look at these numbers from a distance to ensure that all is going well.

Pinning the Screen

This is a very short video that explains how to pin the settings and how to adjust the opacity of the settings screen to be able to see through it and see the graphs behind. Nothing really useful in this video.

Alarms Simulation 

By pressing the small bell at the bottom right side of the screen you can go to the alarms screen. The first part goes through how to adjust the alarms limits.

Then the trainer moves to explain how to simulate some of the alarms? This is important to test your ventilator's ability to detect if there is a problem and addressing it to you.

The ventilator not only displays a message about the alarm but also it will light a warning light. The warning light is yellow or red according to the severity of the trigger. Besides, the audible tone of the alarm also changes according to the severity of the alarm.

An interesting feature is once the alarm goes off, the top LED light changes to green at the center. But the sides of the LED light remain red or yellow, to let you know that something went wrong in the alarms log.

Going to the alarm log is done by pressing at the log icon alarm at the bottom right screen. The alarms log can keep a record of 1000 alarms!

To reset the warning light at the top of the ventilator you will need to press the reset alarm button that is just next to the silence alarms button. Both are at the very bottom side of the screen below the actual LCD display.

If a high priority alarm is triggered, like a patient is disconnected from the ventilator, it will start a counter to display when this happened. Then the Ventilator will start escalating the sound of the alarm until it reaches its maximum volume. The maximum volume is reached after 1 minute from when the alarm was triggered.

This is a good feature as the nurse or the doctor will be able to know the severity of the alarm even before actually reaching near the alarm. This is useful when there are many patients being served by the same operator. Same as the situation we are sadly in during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apnea

This video focuses on adjusting the apnea settings. It will give you the ability to decide the approach you want to use during an apnea occurrence.

Delay time is adjustable, Pressure control or Volume control is adjustable. Flow setting, plateau, and flow patterns are also adjustable as well. The apnea settings are the same settings used when the operator presses a manual inspiration button when on SIMV mode.

Once all settings set to your preference you need to press the accept all button to save all the parameters.

Graphics and Screen Capture

  

In the graphics and screen capture, the emphasis is on adjusting scales of the displayed graphs. In addition to the ability to looking backward in time.

If something abnormal happens you can pause the graph and then go back to it and capture it with the camera capture screen. Once that screen capture is taken that it can be exported to a USB device. This is done by dragging the menu of the left side of the LCD display and pressing the screen capture button. This will show the captured pictures list, where you can select the ones you want to export to USB.

Then the trainer goes to explain how to customize the screen display? To have more than 2 graphs on the screen. This is extremely useful for many doctors as they will be able to see much useful information at the same time.

Moreover, double-tapping on any graph will give you the ability to see that graph on the entire LCD display. Enhancing the ability to see that graph. Whereby double-tapping the graph again the screen goes back to the initial multiple graphs display.

Vital patient banner 

The Vital patient banner video focuses on your ability to hover through the various displayed information there. And helps to change the viewed information and customize it to the preference information you need to see.

Then the trainer goes to explain how to have a default screen and how to switch between various information display settings.

Large Font Display Screen 

Here you will learn how to configure the large display screen?

Double-tapping the screen you can select what to display in that area of the screen?

Constant Access Icons

The constant Access Icons are the icons that are on the bottom right side of the LCD display. Where there is the Home Icon, Alarm Icon, Wrench Icon, Log icon, Manual Events icon, Camera icon, Question Mark icon, and Elevated O2 icon

Pushing the Wrench Icon will display the configure screen. With the left side having the SST Tab, Options Tab, Communication Tab, and the Date and Time Tab.

The SST tab will show you the list of Short Self tests performed and when they occurred?

The Options Tab will show you the installed software information like the software version and other useful things. This is useful for the Biomed Department team as they will know which software is installed. Then they can decide if that ventilator needs a software update or not.

The communications tab can control the various connections to other devices that can connect to the ventilator.

The date and Time tab will allow you to adjust the date and time of the ventilator.

The Question Mark Button allows you to get some further information about what you are seeing on the screen. It works by actually dragging the question mark button and placing it over whatever you want further information about.

 

Menu Tab

The menu tab is hidden to the very left side of the screen and can be pulled out. There are many tabs there like the setup button, respiratory maneuvers tab, standby button, and screen capture.

Pressing the setup tab will allow you to access the setup screen.

Pressing the respiratory maneuvers tab allows you to enter the respiratory maneuvers screen. There are many options to choose from. The first being Inspiratory Pause, Expiratory Pause, Vital Capacity, P100, and NIF button respectively.

Pressing the standby button will allow you to disconnect the patient in case you want to move the patient from one place to another. This is of great use to be able to move a patient and then without delay connect him/her again to the ventilator to resume the ventilation process.

Pressing the screen capture allows exporting the already saved screens to a USB device. That, in turn, can be seen on an external computer for further documentation or analysis.

The last tab is the Trending tab that is going to be explained in another video.

Bezel Keys

The Bezel keys are the keys that are available below the LCD screen, thus they are all fixed and can't be changed or hidden.

The first button from the left side is the brightness button, which can change the brightness of the LCD screen.

The 2nd button is the screen lock button. Once pressed the LCD display will not respond to any touches on it. Thus no settings or parameters can be changed.

The 3rd button from the left is the alarm volume. Where you can adjust the alarm volume either by changing the volume using the knob on the center or by touching on the volume bar.

The 4th button is the manual inspiration button. Once touched a manual breath is delivered to the patient. The breath volume is the same as that set in the Apnea setting that was mentioned in a previous video called "Apnea"

Then the 1st button to the right of the knob is the inspiratory pause maneuver button. It can get you to the inspiratory screen menu and will perform a maneuver immediately.

Right next to it is the expiratory pause maneuver button. And will get you to the expiratory maneuver screen and will do the maneuver automatically.

Then finally there are the alarm reset buttons and the alarm silence buttons at the very right side of the knob.  

Clipboard log Icon 

Pressing the little clipboard button that is just next to the wrench button will allow you to enter the alarm logs menu. In addition to other logs that might be important and helpful to you.

The settings log can save up to 500 settings logs where you can scroll them down and up to view them all.

The patient data log will also show you useful information.

Also, there is a general event log that can show you other logs.

These are very useful in case you want to investigate a certain event. In case an alarm was triggered, you will be able to see what happened before or after that alarm trigger in both the patient data log and the settings log.

Conclusion

We would like again thanks Medtronic Europe for stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic and sharing such useful videos on YouTube. Such videos are useful to nurses, Biomeds and doctors to easily have access to the hands-on training on the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series. This can aid in saving many patients' lives around the globe!

As we have stated in another article this shortage of medical equipment is global. And needs various parties to collaborate for humanity to be abler to fight off this pandemic.

We are looking forward to other ventilator companies like Philips, Drager, GE Healthcare, BD, hamilton Medical, Maquet and etc... to follow in releasing various training videos for their ventilators and other critical care products.

If you have any ideas to be added to this article about Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series training please comment below.
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