Abstract

The article "Pressure Modes of Invasive Mechanical Ventilation" by Singer and Corbridge¹ presents valuable information for physicians who manage complex ventilator patients. The authors' previous article²covered basic invasive mechanical ventilation with waveforms and analysis and was clearly written. This current paper would usually be considered too complex for a journal largely read by generalists; however, a new category of physicians entering hospital and critical care practice is emerging. This is the hospitalist. Members of this group have diverse backgrounds and skills and yet there is no universal definition of their training and scope of practice. Due to a shortage of critical care physicians, this group of doctors is already involved in critical care and in some instances in ventilator management. It is my opinion that this well-written article with accompanying graphs and waveforms should be published as a reference for those involved in more complex ventilator issues. Whatever the hospitalist's current background, educational requirements, clinical experience, and skill level need to be addressed in position papers and scope of practice guidelines.