A Physician Is Using a Pressure Support Protocol to Wean

A physician is using a pressure support protocol to wean a patient off ventilatory support. The patient is now at a 5 cm H₂O pressure level and has a spontaneous respiratory rate of 21/min. Other cardiovascular and respiratory signs indicate that the patient remains stable. Which of the following actions would you recommend at this point?

A) Switch the patient to 5 cm H₂O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) through the endotracheal tube.
B) Extubate the patient and provide supplemental O₂.
C) Switch the patient to intermittent mandatory ventilation at a rate of 2/min.
D) Decrease the pressure support level to 3 cm H₂O.

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