Table 1. Respiratory Intensive Care Assembly survey
Survey itemsResponse %
Respondents46.0
Male74.0
Age years
    <3528.8
     35–5052.7
     51–6017.8
    >600.7
Continent
    Europe85.8
    Asia6.4
    Oceania5.7
    America2.1
    Africa0.0
Professional role
    Medical doctors91.8
    Physiotherapist7.5
    Nurse0.7
Institution
    University/teaching hospital67.1
    District hospital15.8
    Hospital13.0
    Rehabilitation4.1
Department
    Respiratory unit without RICU47.3
    Respiratory unit with RICU41.1
    ICU11.6
Number of beds in the department
    <1013.1
    10–2528.3
    >2558.6
Type of bed in the department
    ICU18.0
    RICU10.5
    Ordinary ward74.7
    Sleep laboratory11.0
Number of medical doctors in the department able to perform NIV for ARF
    04.1
    <539.7
    5–1038.4
    >1017.8
Number of nurses in the department able to perform NIV for ARF
    015.1
    <526.0
    5–1028.1
    >1030.8
Number of physiotherapists in the department able to perform NIV for ARF
    045.2
    <537.0
    5–1011.0
    >106.8
Number of patients receiving NIV in the department in 1 year preceding the survey for ARF, acute-on-chronic failure and CRF
    <2519.2
    75–10015.6
    >10025.0
Number of patients receiving NIV in the department in 1 year preceding the survey for CRF#
    <2529.5
    25–5018.5
    50–7516.4
   75–1007.5
    >10028.1
Management of CRF with NIV in the department in 1 year preceding the survey
    By yourself36.0
    With supervision of an expert64.0
Management of ARF with NIV in the department in 1 year preceding the survey
    By yourself30.0
    With supervision of an expert70.0

  • RICU: respiratory intensive care unit; ICU: intensive care unit; NIV: noninvasive ventilation; ARF: acute respiratory failure; CRF: chronic respiratory failure. #: both newly initiated and monitored on long-term NIV.