Survey on the Use of Noninvasive Ventilation in Public and Private Institutions in Argentina: Getting to know the Reality of its Application

ABSTRACT

With the purpose of exploring the reality of the application of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in our country, we carried out an electronic survey among the professionals of the Argentinian Association of Respiratory Medicine and the Society of Internal Medicine of Buenos Aires. The differences in the use of noninvasive ventilation between public and private institutions were determined, and we evaluated the role of the different specialties and areas of care in its indication and monitoring. 443 professionals participated in the survey, and we concluded that the noninvasive ventilation treatment is uniformly developed in private and public entities. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation was mainly indicated by pulmonologists and intensive care physicians, and most frequently managed in the general ward by physiotherapists. It was most frequently applied in centers with residency programs, specifically in pulmonology and respiratory physical therapy. The reasons for which noninvasive ventilation was not applied were mainly the lack of equipment and interfaces, and the lack of information and training of nurses, physicians and physiotherapists. Knowing which resources are available to the professionals of these two societies in the public and private areas will let us apply behaviors to improve our reality and use this very valuable tool of ventilatory support.