Title: Assist a patient/client with incentive spirometry.
Course: Patient Care Technician (14051-III) > Section: Preventing Medical Complications

Assistance should include

- the use of an incentive spirometer—a breathing exerciser used to help with deep breaths and keep the lungs clear after surgery
- an understanding that deep-breathing exercises help open the air sacs in the lungs and may reduce the chance of developing breathing problems (e.g., pneumonia) after surgery.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is the purpose of an incentive spirometer?
- How does a spirometer work?
- How often should one perform incentive spirometry?
- What types of patients will require incentive spirometry?