Weaning from mechanical ventilatory support: refinement of a model

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses sponsored the third National Study Group to advance the science of weaning from mechanical ventilatory support and to guide clinical practice. The study group proposed a model of weaning in 1994 to provide an organizing framework for scientific inquiry. Since the model was first proposed, the ongoing work of the study group has led to refinement of the model. The purpose of this brief communication is to inform critical care clinicians and researchers about the refinements.