Study: 33% of patients remain connected to breathing tube too long

Nearly 33% of hospitalized patients stay connected to a breathing tube after they can breathe independently, putting them at risk for pneumonia, lung injury and prolonged sedation, researchers found. Researchers at University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, analyzed electronic medical records from more than 3,000 patients between 2015 and 2023 to see how many people were extubated within six hours of passing a breathing test. Patients who did not have their tube removed after passing the test spent an average of two additional days on the ventilator. More than half of the patients stayed on the ventilator due to attending provider preference, with the remaining having complications making continued ventilator use necessary. Close communication between respiratory therapists, nurses and physicians could ensure patients don’t remain intubated longer than necessary, the researchers say. (Healthcare Purchasing News article, 7/15/25)