How to Use a Puritan Bennett Renaissance Spirometer

A respiratory therapist uses a spirometer to measure a patient's ability to inhale and exhale. The Puritan Bennett Renaissance Spirometer II provides a digital method of recording and storing patient data. According to the manufacturer's product description, this spirometer gives a real-time graphical display of patient results to encourage the patient and allow the respiratory therapist to monitor the patient's progress. The Renaissance Spirometer II features intuitive menus and prompts to instruct both the user and the patient before and during a test.

Things You'll Need

• Puritan Bennett Renaissance Spirometer II
• Disposable flow sensor

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Instructions

• 1

  Enter patient data including patient ID, name, height, weight, birth date, gender and race. The Renaissance Spirometer II adjusts the test results against a predicted normal equation based on these factors.

• 2

  Select a test from the menu. The Renaissance Spirometer II is pre-programmed to perform five different respiratory tests: forced vital capacity (FVC), slow vital capacity, flow volume loop (FVL), maximal voluntary ventilation and forced expiratory volume in six seconds.

• 3

  Scan the disposable flow sensor along the right side of the spirometer or input the identification number using the keypad.

• 4

  Connect the flow sensor to the pressure tube.

• 5

  Instruct the patient in the breathing method necessary for the test. The Renaissance Spirometer II's User Manual indicates that the FVC test requires the patient to only breath out forcefully, while the FVL requires them to breathe in deeply, breathe out forcefully and breathe in deeply again.

• 6

  Seat or stand the patient according to his or her health. Because the patient will be breathing in and out deeply for several tests, the patient may be in danger of hyperventilation. Patients with a history of breathing difficulty should remain seated.

• 7

  Ask the patient to loosen any tight clothing including neckties, belts, collar buttons or bra straps.

• 8

  Encourage the patient as he breathes through the flow sensor. The Renaissance Spirometer II displays encouraging statements such as "Keep Going" and shows the patient's progress as a graph on the display.

• 9

  Repeat the breathing tests until the patient completes three reproducible results.

• 10

  Record or print out the patient's results.

• 11

  Disconnect the flow sensor from the pressure tube and dispose of it in an appropriate receptacle.