An ICU patient requires transfer to another hospital for specialist surgery. The transfer team is preparing the transport ventilator. A critical safet...

Question

An ICU patient requires transfer to another hospital for specialist surgery. The transfer team is preparing the transport ventilator. A critical safety check involves confirming the oxygen supply for the journey. The patient requires FiO2 0.5, minute ventilation 8 L/min, and the journey is estimated at 90 minutes including contingency. How should the oxygen supply be calculated?

Accepted Answer

Calculate total O2 required: (FiO2 × minute ventilation × journey time in minutes) + 50% contingency; ensure adequate cylinder volume accounting for gas laws (e.g. an E-cylinder at 137 bar contains approximately 680 L)

Answer

No calculation is needed - one E-cylinder is always sufficient

Answer

Use a D-cylinder regardless of the journey length

Answer

Oxygen supply only matters for helicopter transfers

Answer

Connect to the ambulance piped oxygen only - no backup needed

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Transfer O2 Supply Calculation