UTMB RESPIRATORY CARE SERVICES
PROCEDURE - Incentive Spirometry
Policy 7.3.8
Page 1 of 3
Incentive Spirometry
Formulated: 11/80
Effective: 10/17/94
Revised: 10/31/14
Reviewed 4/4/18
Incentive Spirometry
Purpose
Identify accountability and standardize the use of Incentive Spirometry.
Incentive Spirometry is a method that encourages the patient's achievement
of maximal inspiratory volumes to inflate the alveoli and help prevent
atelectasis by duplicating the yawn reflex. The purpose is to enable patients
with varying inspiratory capacities to receive reinforcement in a planned
program of inspiratory maneuvers and gradually regain their pre-operative
inspiratory volume ability.
Policy
Accountability/Training
A Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner may administer incentive
Spirometry or a licensed nurse trained in the proper procedure with
recognition of age specific requirements of patient population.
Training must be equivalent to the minimal entry level in the
Respiratory Care Service.
After the initial setup and instruction by the therapist, the patient’s nurse
will be responsible for the continuing therapy
Physician's
Order
The physician's order must specify Incentive Spirometry.
Floor Patients: IS at bedside
Initial set-up and teaching session only.
Order must include “By RT” and frequency if RCS is to monitor and do
the therapy with a patient on the floors.
ICU Patients:
Physician's order must specify frequency of therapy.
Indications
In the pre/post operative patient with compromised inspiratory efforts, the
bedridden patient, or in any patient who benefits from a deep breath and is
able to voluntarily cooperate with this method.
Contraindic
ations
Patient is unable or unwilling to understand or demonstrate proper use of
the incentive spirometer
Equipment
Volume and/or goal oriented incentive spirometer
Predictive inspiratory capacity nomogram.
Procedure
Step
Action
1
Verify physician's order and identify patient using two
identifiers.
