The Effects of BiPAP Masks while in Acute Care Settings, Drawbacks and Alternate Mask Options

There are a variety of clinical masks used in hospital environments for respiratory treatments. One treatment used for acute care patients experiencing symptoms, due to chronic respiratory health issues such as COPD or sleep apnea, is referred to as a Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine. The Cleveland Clinic defines this machine in simple terms as “…a type of noninvasive ventilation that helps you breathe. Providers can use it to treat you if you’re not getting enough oxygen or can’t get rid of carbon dioxide “(The Cleveland Clinic, 2023, BiPAP). To break it down further, bilevel in this case means one pressure is for high pressure (when you’re inhaling oxygen) and low pressure (for when you are exhaling carbon dioxide). One drawback to this system is that patients wear ill-fitting masks that cover their nose, mouth, and surrounding parts and they may develop pressure injuries over a short period of time (Hamilton Medical, n.d., When and where do pressure injuries occur?). This paper will briefly investigate the drawbacks and effects of BiPAP masks for acute care settings and explore optional masks to provide more consistent, comfortable patient care.