Oxygen requirements for a ventilated

patient, a patient on a HFNC system

or Bipap

Transports utilizing a

transport ventilator, HFNC

Systems or V-60

Intra-hospital Transport

Reminders

• Pretransport Coordination and Communication - Always call the

supervisor for questions or concerns. Team lead, charge therapist or

Supervisor must be called for a three-tower transport. If the patient

is critical, evaluate the appropriateness of the transport.

• Accompanying Personnel – Additional help may be needed.

• Accompanying Equipment – End-tidal, Ambu bag, ample oxygen

supply

• Know your transport route – if going to the CV&N, all ICU patients

travel on the 2nd floor in the CV&N Hospitals.

• Monitoring - Never stop monitoring your patient during transport.

• Families – Families should not travel with an ICU patient on transport.

Please speak to the nurse and ask for escort assistance for the family.

Tank Duration

PSI in tank – 500PSI x 0.28

Liter flow

Pressure of the cylinder

E cylinder: .28

H cylinder: 3.14

The flow the O2

Device is set at

Calculation

(2200-500) x .28

60 LPM oxygen

One tank will provide 8

minutes of oxygen with

approximately 500 PSI

remaining.

(Tank will be completely

empty around 10 minutes)

Ventilated Patients

• One full tank for patient transports within

the same tower.

• One full tank for patient transports to a

single tower. A full-tank should be used for

a return trip.

• Two full tanks for a patient transport from

the north tower to the CV&N or vice versa.

Two full tanks should be used for a return

trip.

V-60 Transports – within a single

Tower

• Transports within a single tower will require

a minimum oxygen supply of 30 minutes

for a one way trip.

• Two full tanks for patient transports on a V-

60 within a single tower.

V-60 Two-tower Transports

• An FiO2 less than 50% will require two full

tanks for a one-way transport.

• An FiO2 greater than 50% will require three

full tanks for a one-way transport.

V-60 Three-tower Transports

• You must call the team lead, charge

therapist or supervisor to help assess

additional safety needs for a three-tower

transport.

• Three-tower transports will require a

minimum of 4 full tanks regardless of FiO2.

HFNC System – within a single

tower

• Transports within a single tower will require

a minimum oxygen supply of 20 minutes

for a one-way trip.

• Oxygen bleed-in of 49 l/min or less – 2 Full

tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 50 l/min or higher – 3

Full tanks

HFNC System – Two tower

transports

• A two-tower transport will require a

minimum oxygen supply of 30 minutes for

a one-way trip.

• Oxygen bleed-in of 30 l/min or less – 2 Full

tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 31 – 45 l/min – 3 Full

tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 46 l/min or higher – 4

full tanks

HFNC System - three tower

transport

• You must call a team lead, charge therapist or

supervisor to help assess additional safety needs for a

three tower transport.

• Three-tower transports will require a minimum

oxygen supply of 40 minutes for a one-way trip.

• Oxygen bleed-in of 25 l/min or less – 2 Full tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 26 - 35 l/min – 3 Full tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 36 - 50 l/min - 4 Full tanks

• Oxygen bleed-in of 51 l/min and higher – 5 Full tanks

Tank Duration: Example

A patient is currently on an HFNC at 60 l/min and 90%

oxygen. The necessary oxygen bleed-in to achieve 90% is

60 l/min. The patient needs to be transported using an E

cylinder to the CV&N from 82MICU. Assume the E

cylinder is full and reads 2200 psi. Calculate how long the

tank will last and how many tanks you will need for this

trip.

Calculation

(2200-500) x .28

60 l/min oxygen

One Tank will provide

8 Minutes of oxygen

before it needs to be

changed at 500PSI (The

tank will be empty in 10

minutes)

You will need 5

full tanks,

enough oxygen

for 40 minutes

(three-tower

transport)

Tank Duration: Example

A patient is currently on an HFNC at 60 l/min and 50%

oxygen. The necessary oxygen bleed-in to achieve 50% is

20 l/min. The patient needs to be transported using an E

cylinder to the CV&N from 4 west. The E cylinder reads

2200 psi on the gauge. Calculate how long the tank will

last and how many tanks will be needed for this transport.

Calculation

(2200-500) x .28

20 LPM oxygen

One Tank will

provide 24 Minutes

before it is changed at

500PSI (The tank will

be empty in 31

minutes)

You will need 2

full tanks, enough

oxygen for 30

minutes (two-

tower transport)