Know this an old posting, but had to comment on this topic. I always hated the term vent checks. We really should change from "vent check" to "patient assessment", because the "vent check" is only a small portion of what we should be checking regardless of the frequency. It's kind of like when we are referred to as technicians and not therapists.
It should only be called vent check for who write down numbers and suction(if the patient's lucky) never to be seen again till their next "vent check".
I'm currently lucky enough to work at a regional medical center where we do our patient assessments Q4 and our load is only 5-6 vented patients on a normal day. I do remember the days of 10+ vented patients, didn't enjoy my job much.

May have some positions coming open soon.

GJ

I work at a med sized hospital, and we have to do q2 hour vent checks not because we need to, but because we are told we have to. We tried to get it changed to Q4 like other hospitals, but there were a lot of new RNs working in the CCU at the time, and we were told we should be back there every 2 hours to check on the nurses. I'm not joking either.

This is a rather difficult question to answer; it depends on what kind of task you do at bedside and in your departement (sorry if someone already said that).
If you are the ONLY one really looking after the respiratory side (and /or hemodynamic), you need to stay in your ICU. I work in a level 1 trauma center, we do round q1, because most of the time, NO doctor will look at the patient the way RRT look at him (her). But, I take care of 5 students in a level 3 trauma center, they do rounds q 2-4 depending on the work load... but there are interns, medical rounds, trauma rounds, etc...

The question is bias, we would need to exchange face to face; what a hoot that would be!

We check vents Q4 hours.(three times during a 12 hour shift) Any more frequent are for patients that are being weaned or are diffucult to manage.Q2 vent check are simpily add or subtract the number 1 or 2 to the last vent check. If a manager really thinks the therapist is really doing anything more they are foolish. Therapists are intelligent enough to utilize their time on the patients whom really need it. It is impossible to manage 12 patients. Thank goodness our MDs understand and allow us to wait sometimes until later in the day or the next day.We still have transports to CT and MRI etc,and other duties.

We check vents Q4 hours.(three times during a 12 hour shift) Any more frequent are for patients that are being weaned or are

We check vents.& Bipaps q 3 hours. If needed the patient is checked more often, but not the equipment.

I have seen many different frequencies for vent checks. A lot have Q4hr. One place I worked did Q6hr. Currently we do Q2hr vent checks on our kids.

mjRT

Still Q2H here.