Evaluating the Impact of Respiratory Therapist-Led Protocols on Ventilator Liberation Success Rates in a Tertiary Hospital Setting

This study aimed to assess the impact of weaning protocols led by respiratory therapists (RTs) on ventilator liberation success rates in a tertiary hospital ICU. Using a retrospective cohort design, we examined 150 adult patients who had been on mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours. The results showed that RT-led protocols achieved a ventilator liberation success rate of 83.3%, with patients averaging 7.3 days on mechanical ventilation and a reintubation rate of only 6.7%. Additionally, the incidence of complications like ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) was lower compared to standard care. These findings suggest that RT-led protocols can enhance patient outcomes and optimize ICU resource use. Future research in varied hospital settings is encouraged to further validate these results.