A patient with moderate ventilatory distress is placed on 70/30% heliox by a nonrebreather. What should the therapist do if the reservoir on the mask collapses completely with each breath?

In the scenario presented, the complete collapse of the reservoir on the nonrebreather mask indicates that the patient is drawing in a significant volume of gas with each breath, possibly leading to inadequate gas delivery. However, if the current heliox mixture (70% helium and 30% oxygen) is being delivered correctly, the therapy should generally continue unless there are clear signs that the patient is not benefiting from it or is in further distress.

Heliox is used to reduce the work of breathing and improve airflow due to its lower density compared to regular air, making it particularly useful for patients with obstructive conditions. The continued use of the current heliox therapy can still provide the necessary benefits as long as the flow rate is sufficient to prevent complete collapse of the reservoir, which may mean that the flow rate should be assessed.

Switching to a different heliox mixture may not address the underlying issue of the reservoir collapsing. Additionally, while increasing the gas flow could improve the reservoir's function, it is crucial to first evaluate if the current therapy is sufficient because merely increasing gas flow without addressing underlying patient need or therapy effectiveness is not always the best initial action.

In summary, continuing the current therapy while ensuring the flow rate is adequate can provide ongoing treatment,