Patent Publication Number: US-2018049672-A1

Title: Indexing tape for determining ventilator settings

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/375,517, filed Aug. 16, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to medical care for acutely injured and/or ill persons, and particularly to determining and providing proper ventilation for such critical-care patients. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the critical-care environment, minutes count when caring for an acutely injured or ill patient, for example during transport in an ambulance or medevac. For such acutely injured/ill patients, providing and maintaining the patient&#39;s needed oxygen inhalation and carbon dioxide exhalation is critical. So the vast majority of these critical-care patients are intubated with an endotracheal tube connected to a mechanical ventilator to provide them their needed breathing ventilation. Critical-care providers (e.g., paramedics, nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, and other clinicians) are responsible for providing and maintaining the patient&#39;s needed respiration and ventilation through settings on the ventilator. Current best practices in medicine call for the critical-care provider to estimate the patient&#39;s height, calculate or look up the corresponding ideal weight for that height, and then calculate or look up the corresponding ventilator setting for that weight. But sometimes the critical-care provider overestimates or underestimates the patient&#39;s height, which results in an improper tidal volume provided to the patient. 
     Accordingly, it can be seen that there exists a need for a better way to quickly, easily, and accurately determine settings for ventilators for critical-care patients. It is to the provision of solutions to this and other problems that the present invention is primarily directed. 
     SUMMARY 
     Generally described, the present invention relates to an indexing tape and method of use for determining respiration tidal volume settings of a ventilator for a human patient. The tape includes an elongate body, a reference element of the tape body configured for positioning at a first end (e.g., foot) of the patient, a series of length-indicating elements of the tape body spaced from the reference element and configured so that an aligned one at a second end (e.g., head) of the patient indicates the patient&#39;s approximate height, and a plurality of ventilator-setting elements of the tape body correlated to the length-indicating elements and including tidal volume settings for the ventilator. The method of determining ventilator settings includes positioning the tape along the patient with the reference element adjacent the patient first end (e.g., foot) and with one of the length-indicating elements adjacent and aligned with the patient second end (e.g., head), and reading the respective ventilator-setting element corresponding to the aligned length-indicating element to identify an appropriate tidal-volume setting for the ventilator. 
     The specific techniques and structures employed to improve over the drawbacks of the prior devices and accomplish the advantages described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description of example embodiments and the appended drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an indexing tape for determining ventilator settings according to an example embodiment of the present invention, showing the indexing tape in use with a patient. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the indexing tape and patient of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a detail portion the indexing tape and patient of  FIG. 1  with a flap segment of the tape folded up and secured to the patient to prevent tape slippage. 
         FIG. 3A  shows a detail portion of an alternative indexing tape and patient. 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of the indexing tape and patient portion of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a flap segment of the indexing tape of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIGS. 6-12  show a series of extension segments of the indexing tape of  FIG. 3  that are arranged end-to-end and sequentially according to the depicted section lines A through G and that extend distally from the flap segment. 
         FIGS. 13-19  show a series of length-indicating segments of the indexing tape of  FIG. 3  that are arranged end-to-end and sequentially according to the depicted section lines H through N and that extend distally from the last extension segment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention relates to an indexing tape for quickly and easily determining an appropriate respiration tidal-volume setting for a mechanical ventilator for patient. The indexing tape can be used with ventilators of a conventional type that can be connected to tubes and used for providing oxygen inhalation and carbon dioxide exhalation to patients in critical-care and other healthcare situations. Aspects of the invention include various embodiments of indexing tapes as well as methods of using the tapes for determining ventilator settings. 
       FIGS. 1-19  show an indexing tape  10 , for determining respiration settings for ventilators (not shown) connected to tubes (not shown), according to an example embodiment of the invention.  FIGS. 1-4  show examples of the tape  10  in use with a patient and  FIGS. 5-19  show example segments of the continuous tape  10  (broken out into fifteen segments that align together as indicated by the matching sectioning lines). 
     The tape  10  includes an elongate body  12  with a length (extending between first and second ends  13  and  15  of the tape body) selected for use to measure adult humans and with a width (along all or at least portions of the length) selected for providing a display area for markings or other indicia. The tape body  12  is typically in the form of a conventional piece of ribbon or narrow strip of material, that is, relatively long and flat. And the tape body  12  has a width selected for displaying markings that are large enough to be legible and easily read by the naked human eye in normal daytime or illuminated-indoor lighting conditions (e.g., in an ambulance with the interior lights on). In the depicted embodiment, for example, the tape body  12  is about 90 inches long and about 2½ inches wide, with a thickness and flexibility providing for easily collapsing (e.g., rolling or folding) it into a compact configuration for storage and transport. The tape body  12  can be made for example of a sheet of a plastic, fabric, metal, vinyl, or other material selected to provide the desired flexibility and durability. In other embodiments, the tape body has other dimensions (e.g., longer or shorter, wider or narrower), has another shape (e.g., an oval or otherwise curved cross-section), and/or has other features for permitting collapsing into a compact configuration (e.g., a folding design with rigid segments hinged together, or a spring-biased automatic retracting design). 
     The tape body  12  includes a reference element  14 , a plurality of length-indicating elements  16  serially arranged and spaced at increasing distances from the reference element, and a plurality of ventilator-setting elements  18  correlated to the length-indicating elements. The reference element  14  can be located distally offset from the first end  13  the tape body  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , or alternatively the reference element  14   a  can be located at the first end  13   a  of the tape body  12   a,  as depicted in  FIG. 3A . When offset distally from the first end  13  of the tape body  12 , the length of the tape body between the first end and the reference element  14  forms a flap segment  11  that can be folded up onto the sole of the patient&#39;s foot and secured there for example by adhesive tape  9 , as show in  FIGS. 3-4 . 
     The reference element  14  can be formed by a marking on the tape body  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 . For example, the reference element  14  can be made by printing, embossing, etching, or other conventional marking techniques and can be in the form of a prominent line extending part or all of the way across the width of the tape body  12  (e.g., a solid line, a dotted line, or a pair of parallel such lines). In other embodiments, the reference element can be formed by a mechanical element such as a tab, boss, groove, notch, or other conventional tactile and/or visual indicia. And in still other embodiments, the reference element or tape end can include a mechanical feature (e.g., a transverse tab/hook or a loop) for engagement by a body part of the patient (e.g., the foot or head) to secure the tape  10  in place during use to prevent tape slippage and thus prevent a patient-height misreading. In use, with the patient lying down (e.g., generally horizontally) on a support surface (e.g., a floor or the ground), the tape  10  is positioned on the support surface and along the patient with the reference element  14  at (adjacent, e.g., directly under or laterally offset, and aligned with) the sole of the patient&#39;s foot (e.g., at the heel) or the top/crown of the patient&#39;s head, as further described below. As used herein, the term “foot” means the patient&#39;s bare foot but also includes socks and/or shoes if worn by the patient during use of the tape  10 . 
     The length-indicating elements  16  can be formed by markings on the tape body  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 13-19 . For example, the length-indicating elements  16  can be made by printing, embossing, etching, or other conventional marking techniques and can be in the form of scale lines extending part or all of the way across the width of the tape body  12  (e.g., solid lines, dotted lines, or pairs of parallel such lines). In other embodiments, the length-indicating elements can be formed by mechanical elements such as tabs, bosses, grooves, notches, or other conventional tactile and/or visual indicia. The length-indicating elements  16  are positioned on the tape body  12  at incrementally longer distances from the reference element  14  and correlated to identify incremental distances/lengths from the reference element. 
     As such, with the reference element  14  in position at one end (e.g., sole of foot) of the patient and with the tape body  12  in its extended/elongated use configuration positioned alongside and/or underneath the patient, the other end (e.g., top of head) of the patient will generally align with one of the length-indicating elements  16 . That aligned length-indicating element  16  thus correlates to the approximate height of the patient and can be quickly and easily identified and read by a critical-care provider to correctly and reliably determine the patient&#39;s approximate height in tense and pressure-packed emergency situations. 
     For example, the depicted embodiment includes a first length-indicating element  16   a  positioned at a first distance (4.0 feet) from the reference element  14  ( FIG. 13 ), a second length-indicating element  16   b  positioned at a second distance (4.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 14 ), a third length-indicating element  16   c  positioned at a third distance (5.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 15 ), a fourth length-indicating element  16   d  positioned at a fourth distance (5.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 16 ), a fifth length-indicating element  16   e  positioned at a fifth distance (6.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 17 ), a sixth length-indicating element  16   f  positioned at a sixth distance (6.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 18 ), and a seven length-indicating element  16   g  positioned at a seventh distance (7.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 19 ). (These length-indicating elements  16   a - g  are collectively referred to herein as the length-indicating elements  16 .) For embodiments for use for adult and pediatric patients, one of the length-indicating elements (e.g., the third length-indicating element  16   c  of the depicted embodiment) can divide the length-indicating segments of the tape body  12  into an adult portion and a pediatric portion and can include a marking or display clearly indicating this division. 
     In other embodiments, more or fewer of the length-indicating elements  16  are provided, for example in adult-only designs (e.g., with a first of the length-indicating elements  16  being positioned 5.0 feet from the reference element  14 ) or pediatric-only designs (e.g., with a last of the length-indicating elements  16  being positioned 5.0 feet from the reference element). Also, while the depicted embodiment includes the length-indicating elements  16  in half-foot increments, in other embodiments the increments can be longer (e.g., one-foot increments) or shorter (e.g., one-inch or two-inch increments), as may be desired. 
     Furthermore, the area on the tape body  12  between adjacent ones of the length-indicating elements  16  defines a segment or panel  19  corresponding to one of the adjacent length-indicating elements (e.g., the lower value/height, as depicted). For example, the depicted embodiment includes a first length-indicating segment  19   a  spanning a first distance range (3.5 feet to 4.0 feet) from the reference element  14  ( FIG. 13 ), a second length-indicating segment  19   b  spanning a second distance range (4.0 feet to 4.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 14 ), a third length-indicating segment  19   c  spanning a third distance range (4.5 feet to 5.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 15 ), a fourth length-indicating segment  19   d  spanning a fourth distance range (5.0 feet to 5.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 16 ), a fifth length-indicating segment  19   e  spanning a fifth distance range (5.5 feet to 6.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 17 ), a sixth length-indicating segment  19   f  spanning a sixth distance range (6.0 feet to 6.5 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 18 ), and a seven length-indicating segment  19   g  spanning a seventh distance range (6.5 feet to 7.0 feet) from the reference element ( FIG. 19 ). (These length-indicating segments  19   a - g  are collectively referred to herein as the length-indicating segments  19 .) This helps with identifying the patient&#39;s height if the patient&#39;s height is between the increments and the patient is lying on and covering (including at least partially obscuring from view) the corresponding length-indicating element  16 . And to further enable ease of use, these corresponding length-indicating segments  19  can be color-coded to the length-indicating elements  16 , for example the two tape segments  19   c - d  between 5.0 feet and 6.0 feet (e.g.,  FIGS. 15-16 ) can be colored red to correlate with an esophageal airway device known as the King Airway, and the two tape segments  19   e - f  between 6.0 feet and 7.0 feet (e.g.,  FIGS. 17-18 ) can be colored purple to correlate with the King Airway device. 
     Furthermore, indicia  20  corresponding to the distances/measured heights can be marked on the tape body  12  at a location adjacent to each of the corresponding length-indicating elements  16 , at a location within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19  but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element (e.g., adjacent the next-higher length-indicating element, as depicted), or both with at least two of the indicia for each length-indicating element (as depicted). For example, the indicia  20  can be made by printing, embossing, etching, or other conventional marking techniques. The indicia  20  include literal expressions of the corresponding length-indicating elements  16  (e.g., numerals and units) and thus enable the user to conduct a quick visual check confirming the indicated indicia against a quick visual estimation of the patient&#39;s height for any obvious errors in the event the tape  10  has slipped. For example, the depicted embodiment includes first indicia  20   a  (“4 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   a  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   a  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), second indicia  20   b  (“4.5 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   b  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   b  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), third indicia  20   c  (“5 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   c  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   c  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), fourth indicia  20   d  (“5.5 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   d  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   d  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), fifth indicia  20   e  (“6 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   e  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   e  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), sixth indicia  20   f  (“6.5 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   f  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   f  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element), and seventh indicia  20   g  (“7 FT”) positioned adjacent the corresponding length-indicating element  16   g  and also positioned within the corresponding length-indicating segment  19   g  (but distal from the corresponding length-indicating element). (These indicia  20   a - g  are collectively referred to herein as the indicia  20 .) 
     In other embodiments, the length-indicating elements include and are defined at least in part by such indicia and/or such segments, in addition to or instead of scale lines or the like. And in still other embodiments, the length-indicating elements and the ventilator-setting elements are combined into single elements for example with the ventilator-setting elements positioned on the tape body at locations that correspond to the correlated length/height of the patient in order to thus also function as the length-indicating elements. 
     The ventilator-setting elements  18  listed on the tape body  12  are ventilator settings that are widely accepted in medicine and can be readily verified through a number of websites and medical references. The ventilator-setting elements  18  are correlated to the length-indicating elements  16  and enable the user to identify a proper ventilator setting based on the aligned length-indicating element corresponding to the patient&#39;s height. The ventilator-setting elements  18  can be formed by markings on the tape body  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 13-19 . For example, the ventilator-setting elements  18  can be made by printing, embossing, etching, or other conventional marking techniques. The ventilator-setting elements  18  are positioned on the tape body  12  to correspond to respective length-indicating elements  16  (e.g., adjacent them), with the correlation as described below. As such, with the reference element  14  in position and the tape body  12  in an extended/elongated use position alongside the patient, the aligned length-indicating element  16  corresponding to the patient&#39;s height identifies the corresponding ventilator-setting element  18 . 
     As mentioned, the ventilator-setting elements  18  correspond to the length-indicating elements  16 . So in the depicted embodiment with seven length-indicating elements  16   a - g,  there are at least seven corresponding ventilator-setting elements  18   a - g  (collectively referred to herein as the ventilator-setting elements  18 ). For each length-indicating element  16 , the corresponding ventilator-setting element  18  can include a plurality of ventilator settings. For example, in the depicted embodiment the pediatric ventilator-setting elements  18   a - b  each include lists (e.g., an array) of optional ventilator settings broken out by different patient weights (24/26/28 kg or 30/32/34 kg) and by different tidal volumes, and the adult ventilator-setting elements  18   c - g  each include a list of optional ventilator settings broken out by patient gender (male or female) and by tidal volumes (6 mL/kg for below-normal oxygen needs, 8 mL/kg for normal, and 10 mL/kg for above-normal needs). 
     The ventilator-setting elements  18  literally express the appropriate respiration tidal volumes corresponding to the ideal body weight corresponding to the patient&#39;s measured height. These tidal volumes thus represent approximations that are sufficient and close-enough for use in urgent-care situations and that are readily identifiable by using the tape  10  in such urgent-care situations, not exact tidal volumes as can be more-accurately determined in non-emergency situations when time is not so critical. In other embodiments, the ventilator-setting elements are visual representations of control positions of the ventilator, for example for use with ventilators having control positions indentified by numbers, letters, icons, or the like. 
     These listed tidal volumes are determined by identifying the ideal weight given the patient&#39;s height and age, and then determining the appropriate tidal volume for that weight (given the patient&#39;s gender and condition, for adults), based on the following height-to-weight and weight-to-tidal-volume formulas:
         Male adult weight: 50 kg (based on 60 inches, i.e., 5.0 feet)+2.3 kg for each inch over 60 inches;   Female adult weight: 45.5 kg (based on 60 inches)+2.3 kg for each inch over 60 inches;   Pediatric weight: 8+(2×age in years), known as “The Best-Guess Method” of calculating ideal weight for pediatrics 1-5 years of age and included only as a reference for the critical-care provider; and   Tidal volume: weight×tidal rate, using a weight resulting from the appropriate one of the above height-to-weight formulas, and a tidal volume of for example 8 m L/kg.
 
In this way, the tape  10  is indexed for reading by a critical-care provider to quickly and easily, in a one-step read-and-set process, set up a mechanical ventilator with ventilator settings to provide appropriate tidal volumes for the patient&#39;s lungs based on the patient&#39;s height and corresponding ideal body weight.
       

     In typical embodiments such as that depicted, the ventilator-setting elements  18  each include multiple ventilator settings, as noted above. For example, referring to  FIG. 13 , the first ventilator-setting element  18   a  can include a column including the ideal body weight (e.g., 24 kg) for a 4.0-foot tall pediatric patient as a heading and below that one or more (e.g., three) appropriate tidal volumes (e.g., 144 mL, 192 mL, and 240 mL) from which the clinician can select based on for example patient diagnosis and current hemodynamic status. Furthermore, the first ventilator-setting element  18   a  can include an array with additional (e.g., two) additional column headings (e.g., 26 kg and 28 kg) corresponding to ideal weights for pediatric patients with heights between the length-indicating elements, with below each heading one or more (e.g., three) corresponding appropriate tidal volumes (156 mL, 208 mL, and 260 mL, and 168 mL, 224 mL, and 280 mL). 
     As another example, referring to  FIG. 15 , the third ventilator-setting element  18   c  can include the ideal body weight for a 5.0 foot adult male (50.0 kg, indicated by “M”) and for a 5.0 foot adult female (45.5 kg, indicated by “F”) as a heading, and below that one or more (e.g., three M and three F) tidal volumes corresponding to one or more (e.g., three) tidal rates (e.g., at 6 mL/kg, 300 mL for male and 273 mL for female; at 8 mL/kg, 400 mL for male and 364 mL for female; and at 10 mL/kg, 500 mL for male and 455 mL for female). These listed tidal rates of 6 mL/kg, 8 mL/kg, and 10 mL/kg are the most common rates used for ventilators, with the particular tidal rate to be used selected by the clinician based on for example patient diagnosis and current hemodynamic status. 
     The tidal volumes of the ventilator-setting elements  18  displayed on the tape  10  as depicted are determined based on the formulas/criteria set forth above. It will be understood that additional tidal volumes of additional ventilator-setting elements for patient heights falling between the length-indicating elements  16  can be determined and included on the tape  10  based on these same formulas/criteria. In addition, it will be understood that variations of these formulas/criteria can be used, for example by using a different starting height and corresponding ideal body weight (instead of 5.0 feet and 50.0/45.5 kg M/F) and/or using average body weight for a given height (instead of ideal body weight) then making additions based on the height and/or weight of the patient as determined using the tape, or by not using a starting height and doing a calculation for the total measured height (and corresponding ideal body weight) of the patient. 
     The portion of the tape  10  between the reference element  14  and the first of the length-indicating elements  16  provides the needed length and is thus included for physical extension and connection purposes. This intermediate/extension portion of the tape  10  can be significant, typically having a length that is generally comparable to the length of the length-indicating segments  19  and thus about half the overall length of the tape  10 , for example with each about 3.5 feet in the depicted embodiment (in shorter pediatric-only embodiments the extension portion is typically more than half the total tape length). In addition, this intermediate/extension portion of the tape  10  can be divided into segments and used to display additional relevant information. In the depicted embodiment, for example, this intermediate/extension portion of the tape  10  is divided into serial segments that display:
         Normal I:E (inhale/exhale) ratios based on respirations per minute delivered ( FIG. 12 );   Formulae for initial ventilator settings for a patient in volume-controlled ventilation such as the height-to-weight formulas set forth above ( FIG. 12 );   Initial ventilator settings for adult, child, and infant patients in pressure-control settings ( FIG. 11 );   Pain-management medications and doses for adult and pediatric patients ( FIG. 10 );   Induction doses of medication utilized to sedate a patient and paralyze a patient for rapid-sequence intubation and ventilation of adult and pediatric patients ( FIG. 9 );   Post-induction medications for providing sedation and comfort for ventilated adult and pediatric patients ( FIG. 8 ); and   The Ramsay scale (listed and described), a measurement of a patient&#39;s sedation level utilized to ensure patient sedation ( FIG. 7 ). In other embodiments, additional and/or alternative information can be displayed on this portion of the tape  10 , or if desired this area can be left blank.       

     Referring back to  FIGS. 1-4 , the indexing tape  10  is shown in use in an example method of use. First, the indexing tape  10  is positioned with the reference element  14  positioned at an end of the patient, for example the sole/bottom of the patient&#39;s foot, with the patient in a supine position, for example lying down flat on a support surface, as shown. The patient&#39;s foot can be lifted slightly to slip the tape  10  under it and position the reference element  14  directly beneath the sole of that foot at the heel, then the foot can be lowered back down until its rests upon the support surface. Alternatively, the tape  10  can be positioned laterally offset slightly from the patient&#39;s foot, with the reference element  14  aligned with and beside (but not underneath) the foot. 
     In addition, the corresponding first end  13  of the tape body  12  can be secured in place to prevent the tape  10  from slipping when it is extended along the patient. In typical embodiments such as that depicted, the first end  13  of the tape body  12  can be secured in place by applying a strip of conventional medical adhesive tape  11  to it and to the patient&#39;s foot (or alternatively to the support surface, provided that the patient doesn&#39;t move longitudinally). In other embodiments, the reference element  14  or tape first end  13  includes a mechanical feature (e.g., an adhesive portion with a removable backing, a rigid transverse/perpendicular tab, or a transverse loop or hook) for engagement by a body part of the patient (e.g., sole or toe of foot, or crown or ear of head), and the mechanical feature is positioned in engagement with the patient to secure the tape  10  in place during use to prevent slippage and thus prevent a patient-height misreading. Furthermore, for embodiments with the reference element  14  located distally offset from the first end  13  the tape body  12  ( FIGS. 1-4 ), the flap segment  11  that can be folded/pivoted up (e.g., to generally perpendicular or another angle relative to the tape extension segments) about the reference element  14  and onto the sole of the patient&#39;s foot and secured there for example by adhesive tape  9 , as shown in  FIGS. 3-4 . Also, the flap segment  11  can include a blank space where the clinician can write information relating to the patient. 
     Then the indexing tape  10  is positioned in an extended/elongated configuration at least coextensive with the height of the patient (i.e., lying-down length). The tape  10  can be slipped entirely under the patient if the patient&#39;s condition permits, or if not then it can be extended alongside the patient with at least portions of it laterally offset from the patient as shown. With the tape  10  now extending foot-to-head along the patient, the opposite end of the patient (in this case the top of the patient&#39;s head) and a location on the tape  10  are now adjacent and in alignment (i.e., along a line perpendicular to the tape). That aligned location of the patient&#39;s head and the tape  10  is then identified by the clinician to determine the corresponding generally aligned length-indicating element  16  for the particular patient, for example the closest one of the length-indicating elements (whether in the shorter or longer direction) or the last one that has been exceeded by the patient&#39;s height. 
     The length-indicating elements (i.e., height markings)  16  are correlated to body weight (e.g., ideal), which are in turn correlated to appropriate ventilator-setting elements (i.e., tidal volumes)  18 , which are displayed on the tape in positions corresponding to the associated length-indicating elements. So the clinician simply reads the ventilator-setting element  18  on the tape  10  that corresponds to the length-indicating element  16  (or segment  19 ) adjacent and aligned with the top of the patient&#39;s head to obtain an appropriate tidal volume for setting the ventilator, without having to estimate any body characteristic (e.g., height or weight) of the patient, without having to look up any conversion factors, and without having to perform any calculation. 
     To illustrate this one-step read-and-set method, its use will be described for a 6-foot, 1-inch male adult. With the tape  10  in its extended/elongated configuration and positioned alongside the supine patient, and with the reference element  14  at the patient&#39;s heel, the top of the patient&#39;s head would be a little beyond the fifth length-indicating element  16   e.  So the clinician could quickly and easily select, from the corresponding fifth ventilator-setting element  18   e,  a tidal volume of 465.6 mL, 620.8 mL, or 776 mL, depending on the tidal rate (6 mL/kg, 8 mL/kg, or 10 mL/kg, respectively) selected as appropriate given the patient&#39;s condition at the time. In this way, the clinician can quickly and reliably ensure that the patient receives the proper respiratory ventilation, without worry of significant overestimation or underestimation, and then move on to meeting other urgent-care needs. 
     This one-step read-and-set method provides for reading an appropriate tidal volume directly from the tape  10  based on the ideal body weight for the measured height of the patient, without any calculations or conversions (e.g., accounting for ideal body weight). For situations such as this example in which the patient&#39;s height is between two of the length-indicating elements  16 , this provides a general approximation of appropriate tidal volumes, which is typically sufficient because the differences over only a few inches of height are not significant (i.e., the general estimation is sufficient for proper patient care). 
     However, if the patient&#39;s height is between length-indicating elements  16  and more precision is desired, then a more-precise tidal volume can be readily determined using the tape  10 . Using this same scenario, the above-listed formulas for a male adult can be applied to a 6-foot, 1-inch height as follows: 50 kg+2.3 kg/inch (21 inches)=50 kg+48.3 kg=98.3 kg of ideal body weight (IDW). The clinician would then take that weight and multiple it by the selected oxygen tidal rate (e.g., standard/convention is 6-10 mL/kg). Therefore, this patient&#39;s more-precise initial ventilator settings for tidal volume would be 590 mL (at 6 mL/kg), 786 mL (at 8 mL/kg), or 983 mL (at 10 mL/kg). 
     It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions, or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments by way of example only. Thus, the terminology is intended to be broadly construed and is not intended to be unnecessarily limiting of the claimed invention. For example, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “one” include the plural, the term “or” means “and/or,” and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, any methods described herein are not intended to be limited to the sequence of steps described but can be carried out in other sequences, unless expressly stated otherwise herein. 
     While the invention has been shown and described in example forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.